blithely

C1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈblaɪθli/ UK /ˈblaɪðli/ See IPA manual

Freq #55523

Meanings

1

adv
In a carefree way that shows no concern, often when you should be concerned.

He blithely ignored all the warnings about the storm.
2

adv
In a cheerful, lighthearted way.

She walked along, blithely humming a tune.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adv · in a carefree way that... carelessly indifferently

2 adv · in a cheerful, lighthearted... happily merrily joyfully

Word family

Related forms blitheblithefulblithefullyblithefulnessblithen blitheness blithesome

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

blithely unconcerned
carelessly unworried about something that deserves attention

Adverb + adjective

Etymology

From Middle English blythely, blyþely, bliþeliche, from Old English blīþelīċe (“gladly, blithely”), from Proto-West Germanic [Term?]; compare Dutch blijdelijk. By surface analysis, blithe + -ly.

blythely Middle English blīþelīċe Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# blithely

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** adv
**IPA (US):** /ˈblaɪθli/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈblaɪðli/
**Frequency rank:** 55523

## Meanings
1. In a carefree way that shows no concern, often when you should be concerned.
2. In a cheerful, lighthearted way.

## Examples
- He blithely ignored all the warnings about the storm.
- She walked along, blithely humming a tune.

## Related Forms
- blithe
- blitheful
- blithefully
- blithefulness
- blithen
- blitheness
- blithesome

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: blythely
- Root: blīþelīċe

## Etymology
From Middle English blythely, blyþely, bliþeliche, from Old English blīþelīċe (“gladly, blithely”), from Proto-West Germanic [Term?]; compare Dutch blijdelijk. By surface analysis, blithe + -ly.

## AI Etymology
Blithely is from Middle English blythely, blyþely, bliþeliche, from Old English blīþelīċe (“gladly, blithely”), from Proto-West Germanic an uncertain form; compare Dutch blijdelijk. By surface analysis, blithe + -ly. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern adverbial form is built from the named base and affix. In present-day use, it can mean in a carefree way that shows no concern, often when you should be concerned, or in a cheerful, lighthearted way. Related forms include blithe, blitheful, blithefully, blithefulness, blithen.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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