subjectively
subjectively
UK[səbˈdʒektɪvli]US[səbˈdʒektɪvli]
adv
In a way that is based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions.
adv
In a way that relates to the conscious thinking subject, not to the object of thought.
Morpheme Breakdown
subject
ive
ly
subject
to place under, the thinking self
ive
adjective suffix
ly
adverb suffix
Etymology
The adverb "subjectively" is built upon the core concept of the "subject," which originates from the Latin subiectus, meaning "placed beneath." This literal sense evolved philosophically to denote the conscious self, the mind that perceives and interprets reality from its own vantage point. The addition of the adjectival suffix "-ive" creates "subjective," describing something pertaining to or derived from this individual perspective. Finally, the adverbial suffix "-ly" transforms it into "subjectively," specifying the manner of an action performed from a personal, internal viewpoint rather than from an external, objective standard. Thus, the word's journey encapsulates the shift from a physical position of being under authority to the abstract domain of personal perception and judgment.
Analysis
Structure: subject (to place under, the thinking self) + ive (adjective suffix) + ly (adverb suffix)
- subject: From Latin subicere (to place under, to make subject), from sub- (under) + iacere (to throw). In this word, it carries the sense of "the thinking self" or "the mind."
- ive: A suffix of Latin origin (-ivus) used to form adjectives meaning "of the nature of" or "tending to."
- ly: A suffix of Old English origin (-lice) used to form adverbs from adjectives.
Examples
The experience of beauty is judged subjectively.
He reported the events not factually, but subjectively, colored by his own biases.
Philosophers argue about whether we can ever perceive the world outside of our own subjectively formed impressions.