neutrally
UK[ˈnjuːtrəli]US[ˈnuːtrəli]
adv
in a way that does not support or help either side in a disagreement, competition, etc.; without showing strong feelings or opinions
adv
in a way that is not distinctive or positive; in a way that is deliberately vague or unremarkable
Morpheme Breakdown
neutr
al
ly
neutr
neither
al
adjective suffix
ly
adverb suffix
Etymology
the word "neutrally" is built upon the latin root neuter, which literally meant "not either" and was used to describe a grammatical gender that was neither masculine nor feminine. this concept of being between two opposites evolved into the broader sense of impartiality and lack of bias. the adjective-forming suffix -al was added to create "neutral," describing a state or position of non-alignment. finally, the old english adverbial suffix -ly was appended, transforming it into a word describing the manner of acting or existing without taking sides, thereby completing its journey from a specific grammatical term to a general descriptor of impartial conduct.
Analysis
Structure: neutr (neither) + al (adjective suffix) + ly (adverb suffix)
- neutr: from latin neuter meaning "neither of two". it is a compound of ne- (not) and uter (either of two). in this word, it functions as the core root conveying the sense of "neither side".
- al: a suffix of latin origin used to form adjectives from nouns or other adjectives, meaning "of, relating to, or characterized by".
- ly: a suffix of old english origin used to form adverbs from adjectives, meaning "in a specified manner".
Examples
the judge must listen to both sides and rule neutrally.
she answered the reporter's pointed questions quite neutrally, revealing little.
the room was decorated neutrally in shades of beige and gray.