indirectly

/ˌɪndəˈektˌli/in-dur-EKT-lee

/ˌɪndɚˈɛktˌli/in-dur-EKT-lee

Meaningin a not-straight way

Common meaning: not directly

Other meanings: by a roundabout route

inin, into; (before adjectives) not
directstraight; rightLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 1536 · scan
lyadverb ending: in a way

‘in, into’ + ‘straight’ → indirectly

Journey through time

Latinindirectus‘not direct’source
Frenchindirect‘not right’source
Englishindirect‘not going straight to the point’
Englishformed in English from indirectindirectly‘not directly’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Formed in English from indirect + -ly.

Dictionary: Skeat (1898), INDIRECT, p.290 · scan

Roots

rēctus Latin “straight; right”

Building blocks are an automatic split · open in app