uncertainly

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ʌnˈsɜːrtənli/ UK /ʌnˈsɜːtənli/ See IPA manual

adv

Meanings

1

adv
in a hesitant or doubtful manner

She stepped uncertainly onto the wobbling footbridge.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adv · in a hesitant or doubtful... hesitantly doubtfully tentativelyunsurelywaveringlyindecisively

Opposites

certainly confidently decisively surely

Word family

Related forms uncertain certain uncertainty

Etymology

From uncertain + -ly. Certain comes from Old French certain, from Vulgar Latin *certanus, from Latin certus ('sure, fixed, determined'), past participle of cernere ('to distinguish, decide').

un- Old English certus Latin cernere Latin

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Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

# uncertainly

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adv
**IPA (US):** ʌnˈsɜːrtənli
**IPA (UK):** ʌnˈsɜːtənli

## Meanings
1. in a hesitant or doubtful manner

## Examples
- She stepped uncertainly onto the wobbling footbridge.

## Synonyms
- hesitantly
- doubtfully
- tentatively
- unsurely
- waveringly
- indecisively

## Antonyms
- certainly
- confidently
- decisively
- surely

## Related Forms
- uncertain
- certain
- uncertainty

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: un-
- Root: certus
- Root: cernere

## Etymology
From uncertain + -ly. Certain comes from Old French certain, from Vulgar Latin *certanus, from Latin certus ('sure, fixed, determined'), past participle of cernere ('to distinguish, decide').

## AI Etymology
Uncertainly is from uncertain + -ly. Certain comes from Old French certain, from Vulgar Latin *certanus, from Latin certus ('sure, fixed, determined'), past participle of cernere ('to distinguish, decide'). Important recorded forms include un- (Old English), certus (Latin), and cernere (Latin). Morphologically, the un- element marks negation, reversal, removal, or deprivation, while the base supplies the action, quality, or state being denied or undone. The modern sense is largely compositional, with the historical elements narrowing into a stable English lexical item. In current use it covers in a hesitant or doubtful manner. The wider family includes related words such as uncertain, certain, and uncertainty.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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uncertainly

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