ridiculously
UK[rɪˈdɪkjələsli]US[rɪˈdɪkjələsli]
adv
In a manner that is so foolish, unreasonable, or extreme as to be amusing or absurd.
Morpheme Breakdown
ridicul
ous
ly
ridicul
e) (laughable
ous
adjective suffix
ly
adverb suffix
Etymology
The word "ridiculously" is built upon the Latin verb ridere, meaning "to laugh." Its past participle risus gave rise to ridiculum, a noun for a joke or object of laughter. This entered English via French as "ridicule," the quality of being laughable. The adjectival suffix "-ous" (from Latin -osus) was added to form "ridiculous," meaning "deserving or inspiring mockery." Finally, the native English adverbial suffix "-ly" transforms it into a modifier describing an action performed to an absurd, laughable degree. Thus, the word's journey encapsulates the concept of provoking laughter through extreme folly.
Analysis
Structure: ridicul(e) (laughable) + ous (adjective suffix) + ly (adverb suffix)
- ridicul(e): From Latin ridiculum (a joke, a laughing matter), from ridere (to laugh).
- ous: A suffix of Latin origin forming adjectives, meaning "full of" or "characterized by".
- ly: A suffix of Old English origin forming adverbs from adjectives, meaning "in a specified manner".
Examples
The price of the concert tickets was ridiculously high.
He was ridiculously overdressed for the casual backyard barbecue.
She finished the complex puzzle in a ridiculously short amount of time.