tacitly
Meaning
in a way that is understood or implied without being directly stated.
Structure
Usage
the company tacitly approved the new policy by not objecting to it.
he tacitly agreed to the terms by continuing to use the service.
her silence was taken as tacitly consenting to the plan.
Etymology
the word 'tacitly' is built upon the adjective 'tacit', which originates from the latin past participle tacitus of the verb tacere, meaning 'to be silent'. this root is part of a wider indo-european family concerning silence. the suffix '-ly' is a productive english adverbial ending from germanic origins. therefore, 'tacitly' literally means 'in a silent manner', which evolved to signify actions or agreements conveyed through implication or omission rather than explicit words, capturing the concept of unspoken understanding.
Analysis
tacit (from latin tacitus, meaning 'silent, passed over in silence', from tacere 'to be silent'); ly (from old english -līce, forming adverbs from adjectives).