'admirably' originates from the Latin word 'admirabilis', where 'ad-' meant 'toward' and 'mirari' meant 'to wonder at'.

'admirabilis' transformed into the Old French word 'admirable', and eventually became the modern English word 'admirable', with 'admirably' as its adverbial form.

Initially, it meant 'worthy of admiration', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.