jokingly
Meaning
in a way that is not serious, but is intended to be funny or playful
Structure
Usage
she said it jokingly, but i could tell there was a hint of truth in her words.
he patted his friend on the back jokingly after the friendly prank.
"you must be the smartest person in the room," he remarked jokingly.
Etymology
the word 'jokingly' is built upon the noun 'joke', which entered english in the late 17th century from latin jocus, meaning a jest or pastime. the latin term itself is traced back to the proto-italic jokos, likely related to concepts of speech and play. the addition of the present participle suffix '-ing' transforms the noun into an adjective ('joking'), describing someone engaged in jest. finally, the old english adverbial suffix '-ly' is appended, converting the adjective into an adverb that specifies the manner of an action. thus, 'jokingly' literally means "in a jesting manner," perfectly capturing its modern sense of speaking or acting in a way intended to amuse rather than be taken seriously.
Analysis
- joke: from latin jocus (jest, joke), functioning as the core root meaning a humorous remark or act. - ing: from old english -ende, -unge, functioning as a suffix to form the present participle. - ly: from old english -līce, functioning as an adverbial suffix meaning "in a manner of".