woodily
|wood-i-ly|
/ˈwʊdɪli/
(woody)
having the character of wood (material, trees, or wood-like quality)
Etymology
'woodily' is formed from the adjective 'woody' + the adverbial suffix '-ly'. 'Woody' ultimately derives from Old English 'wudu' (or 'wudu-' root) meaning 'wood, forest'.
'woodily' developed as 'woody' (adjective) became productive with the addition of '-ly' to form an adverb. 'Woody' itself traces back through Middle English from Old English 'wudu' (or related forms) and evolved into modern 'wood' and 'woody'.
Originally related to 'wood' (the material or forest), the adjective 'woody' came to mean 'resembling or characteristic of wood'; the adverb 'woodily' now means 'in a manner like wood' or, by extension, 'in a stiff or wooden manner'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adverb 1
in a wooden, stiff, or awkward manner; lacking natural ease or expressiveness.
He answered the questions woodily, as if reading from a script.
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Adverb 2
in a manner characteristic of wood; having a woody smell, taste, texture, or quality.
The wine smelled woodily of oak after aging in barrels.
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Last updated: 2025/12/02 05:26