actively

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈæktɪvli/ See IPA manual

Freq #15245

Meanings

1

adv
in a busy, involved, and determined way

They are actively looking for a new house.
2

adv
in a way that involves taking part rather than just watching

He participated actively in the discussion.

Thesaurus

Word family

Derived forms bioactivelynonactivelyretroactively

Etymology

From late Middle English actyvely; equivalent to active + -ly.

actyvely Middle English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# actively

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adv
**IPA (US):** /ˈæktɪvli/
**Frequency rank:** 15245

## Meanings
1. in a busy, involved, and determined way
2. in a way that involves taking part rather than just watching

## Examples
- They are actively looking for a new house.
- He participated actively in the discussion.

## Derived Forms
- bioactively
- nonactively
- retroactively

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: actyvely

## Etymology
From late Middle English actyvely; equivalent to active + -ly.

## AI Etymology
Actively is from late Middle English actyvely; equivalent to active plus -ly. The suffix -ly recasts active as an adverb: the lexical idea remains recognizable, but the word now describes manner, degree, or circumstance rather than naming the quality by itself. In use as an adverb, actively denotes in a busy, involved, and determined way and in a way that involves taking part rather than just watching. The same word family continues in derived forms such as bioactively, nonactively, and retroactively.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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