timely

B1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈtaɪmli/ See IPA manual

Freq #20518

Meanings

1

adj
Happening or done at the right or most useful moment.

Thanks to a timely warning, everyone reached safety.
2

adj
Done before a deadline; prompt.

Please make sure you give a timely response to the invitation.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · happening or done at the... well-timedseasonable

2 adj · done before a deadline;... prompt punctual

More heaven-sentopportunetempestivetidytimefultimeoustimesome

Opposites

untimely

Word family

Forms timeliertimeliest

Derived forms mistimelyovertimelytimelilytimelinesstimely-parteduntimely

Related forms seasonablytidelytimelinesstimeously

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

timely warning
a warning given early enough to be useful

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Middle English timely, tymely, timliche, from Old English *tīmlīc (adjective) and tīmlīċe (“in good time; timely; soon”, adverb), equivalent to time + -ly. Cognate with Danish timelig, Swedish timlig, Icelandic tímalegur, tímanlegur.

timely Middle English *tīmlīc Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# timely

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈtaɪmli/
**Frequency rank:** 20518

## Meanings
1. Happening or done at the right or most useful moment.
2. Done before a deadline; prompt.

## Examples
- Thanks to a timely warning, everyone reached safety.
- Please make sure you give a timely response to the invitation.

## Synonyms
- heaven-sent
- opportune
- seasonable
- tempestive
- tidy
- timeful
- timeous
- timesome
- well-timed

## Antonyms
- untimely

## Derived Forms
- mistimely
- overtimely
- timelily
- timeliness
- timely-parted
- untimely

## Related Forms
- seasonably
- tidely
- timeliness
- timeously

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: timely
- Root: *tīmlīc

## Etymology
From Middle English timely, tymely, timliche, from Old English *tīmlīc (adjective) and tīmlīċe (“in good time; timely; soon”, adverb), equivalent to time + -ly. Cognate with Danish timelig, Swedish timlig, Icelandic tímalegur, tímanlegur.

## AI Etymology
Timely is from Middle English timely, tymely, timliche, from Old English *tīmlīc (adjective) and tīmlīċe (“in good time; timely; soon”, adverb), equivalent to time + -ly. Cognate with Danish timelig, Swedish timlig, Icelandic tímalegur, tímanlegur. The historical line also includes Middle English timely, Old English *tīmlīc. In present-day use, it can mean happening or done at the right or most useful moment, or done before a deadline; prompt. Derived formations include mistimely, overtimely, timelily, timeliness, timely-parted, untimely.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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