surprisingly
Meaning
in a way that causes surprise because it is unexpected or unusual
used to emphasize that something is very surprising or impressive
Structure
Usage
the test was surprisingly easy.
she is surprisingly knowledgeable about classical music.
he recovered from the injury surprisingly quickly.
Etymology
the word "surprisingly" is built upon the verb "surprise," which entered english from french, carrying the literal sense of being overtaken or seized from above. the addition of the "-ing" suffix transforms it into an adjective, "surprising," describing something that has the quality or effect of causing astonishment. finally, the adverbial suffix "-ly" is appended, converting the adjective into an adverb that modifies the manner of an action. thus, the etymological logic flows from the concrete idea of an unexpected seizure to the abstract modern meaning of an event or quality that causes wonder in an unforeseen way.
Analysis
surprise: from middle french surprise, feminine past participle of surprendre ('to overtake', 'to seize'), from latin super- ('over') + prehendere ('to grasp, seize'). functions as the core verb/root. ing: from old english -ende, -inge, a suffix forming present participles and adjectives from verbs. functions as an adjective-forming suffix. ly: from old english -līċe, an adverbial suffix formed from the adjective suffix -līċ. functions as an adverb-forming suffix.