likely

A2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈlaɪkli/ See IPA manual

Freq #1883

Meanings

1

adj
Probably going to happen or be true.

Rain is likely later this afternoon.
2

adj
Believable or reasonable.

That's not a very likely excuse.
3

adj
Seeming suitable or promising.

She is a likely candidate for the job.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · probably going to happen or... probable

Word family

Forms likelierlikeliest

Derived forms likelihoodlikelilylikeliness unlikely

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

likely result
an outcome that is expected to happen

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Middle English likely, likly, lykly, likliche, from Old English ġelīclīċe (“equally”) and Old Norse líkliga, glíkliga (“likely”), both from Proto-Germanic *līkalīka, equivalent to like + -ly (adverbial suffix).

likely Middle English ġelīclīċe Old English líkliga Old Norse *līkalīka Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# likely

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈlaɪkli/
**Frequency rank:** 1883

## Meanings
1. Probably going to happen or be true.
2. Believable or reasonable.
3. Seeming suitable or promising.

## Examples
- Rain is likely later this afternoon.
- That's not a very likely excuse.
- She is a likely candidate for the job.

## Derived Forms
- likelihood
- likelily
- likeliness
- unlikely

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: likely
- Root: ġelīclīċe
- Root: líkliga
- Root: *līkalīka

## Etymology
From Middle English likely, likly, lykly, likliche, from Old English ġelīclīċe (“equally”) and Old Norse líkliga, glíkliga (“likely”), both from Proto-Germanic *līkalīka, equivalent to like + -ly (adverbial suffix).

## AI Etymology
Likely comes from Middle English likely, likly, lykly, likliche, from Old English ġelīclīċe (“equally”) and Old Norse líkliga, glíkliga (“likely”), both from Proto-Germanic *līkalīka, equivalent to like + -ly (adverbial suffix). The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern adjectival form is built from the named base and affix.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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