Langimage
English

roguishly

|ro-gu-ish-ly|

B2

🇺🇸

/ˈroʊɡɪʃ/

🇬🇧

/ˈrəʊɡɪʃ/

(roguish)

like a rogue

Base FormPluralComparativeSuperlativeNounAdverb
roguishroguishnessesmore roguishmost roguishroguishnessroguishly
Etymology
Etymology Information

'roguishly' originates from English, specifically from the adjective 'roguish' plus the adverbial suffix '-ly', where 'roguish' comes from the noun 'rogue' meaning 'dishonest or playfully bad person' and the suffix '-ish' means 'having the quality of'.

Historical Evolution

'roguishly' changed from the noun 'rogue' to the adjective 'roguish' (rogue + -ish) and eventually became the adverb 'roguishly' by adding '-ly'.

Meaning Changes

Initially it meant 'in the manner of a rogue' (i.e., like a dishonest or vagabond person), but over time it acquired the additional sense of 'playfully mischievous' while retaining the sense of sly or dishonest behavior in some contexts.

Meanings by Part of Speech

Adverb 1

in a playful, mischievous, or impish manner.

He grinned roguishly and slipped a coin into the child's hand.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Adverb 2

in a dishonest, unprincipled, or roguish manner (less common; suggests sly or unscrupulous behavior).

He looked roguishly at the unlocked register before walking away.

Synonyms

Antonyms

uprightlyhonestlyforthrightly

Last updated: 2026/01/12 20:05