resignedly
UK[rɪˈzaɪn.ɪd.li]US[rɪˈzaɪn.ɪd.li]
adv
in a way that shows acceptance of something unpleasant that one cannot change
Morpheme Breakdown
re
sign
edly
re
again
sign
mark
edly
adverb suffix
Etymology
the word 'resignedly' is built upon the adjective 'resigned', which itself originates from the verb 'resign'. the verb entered english in the late 14th century from old french 'resigner', meaning "to give up, surrender", which was derived from latin 'resignare', meaning "to unseal, cancel, give back, give up". the latin term is a combination of the prefix 're-', implying reversal or "back", and 'signare', meaning "to sign or seal". thus, the literal sense is "to unseal" or "to sign back", conveying the act of relinquishing a claim or position. the adverbial suffix '-edly' was added to the past participle 'resigned' to form an adverb describing the manner of accepting an unalterable situation, much like formally surrendering a sealed document of authority.
Analysis
Structure: re (again) + sign (mark) + edly (adverb suffix)
- re: from latin, a prefix meaning "again" or "back".
- sign: from latin signum, meaning "mark, token, indication".
- edly: a compound english suffix formed from the past participle suffix '-ed' and the adverbial suffix '-ly', used to form adverbs from adjectives ending in '-ed'.
Examples
she sighed resignedly and accepted the inevitable delay.
he nodded resignedly, knowing further argument was pointless.
they waited resignedly for the bad news.