half-heartedly-returned
|half-heart-ed-ly-re-turned|
🇺🇸
/ˌhæfˈhɑːrtɪdli rɪˈtɜːrnd/
🇬🇧
/ˌhɑːfˈhɑːtɪdli rɪˈtɜːnd/
(half-heartedly-return)
lacking enthusiasm
Etymology
'half-heartedly-returned' originates from the combination of 'half-heartedly' and 'returned', where 'half-heartedly' means 'with little enthusiasm' and 'returned' means 'to give back'.
'half-heartedly' evolved from the Old English 'healf' meaning 'half' and 'heorte' meaning 'heart', combined with 'returned' from the Old French 'retourner'.
Initially, 'half-heartedly' meant 'with half a heart', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'with little enthusiasm'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
describes an action or response that is done with little enthusiasm or commitment, often implying a lack of genuine interest or effort.
She half-heartedly-returned the book to the library, showing little interest in reading it again.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2025/04/15 19:03