truly

• trooly (obsolete)
• truely (archaic)
• trully (obsolete)

From Middle English truely, treuly, treuli, trewely, treoweliche, treowliche, from Old English trēowlīċe (“faithfully; truly”), equivalent to true +‎ -ly. Cognate with Dutch trouwelijk, Middle Low German truwlike, German treulich, Swedish trolig, Icelandic trygglega.

• IPA^(key): /ˈtɹuːli/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -uːli

truly (comparative trulier or more truly, superlative truliest or most truly)

1. (manner) In accordance with the facts; truthfully, accurately.
   • 1946, Bertrand Russell, chapter I, in History of Western Philosophy, page 27:

     He adds, very truly, that what was fatal to such philosophies as his was not Christianity but the Copernican theory.

2. (modal) Honestly, genuinely, in fact, really.

   That is truly all I know.

   Truly, that is all I know.

3. (degree) Very.

   You are truly silly.

   • 2014 August 20, Mark Potok, “What’s in a Name?”, in Southern Poverty Law Center‎^[1]:

     I’m distantly related to the truly great writer, Chaim Potok, which for a magazine editor seems like a good thing.

• (truthfully, accurately): frankly, sincerely; see also Thesaurus:honestly
• (in fact, really): in point of fact, literally; see also Thesaurus:actually
• (very): extremely, exceedingly; see also Thesaurus:very

• Lurty