Bluntly
/ˈblʌnt.li/noun
In a direct, abrupt, or unsoftened manner.
Did you know?Bluntly is the adverb of blunt, and blunt originally meant “dull” or “not sharp,” not “honest,” so the modern meaning grew from the idea of a point that can’t pierce.
Etymological Timeline
Late Middle English
English
bluntli
“In a dull or unsmoothed manner; figuratively, plainly or abruptly.”
Middle English
English
blunt
“Dull, not sharp; later, coarse or abrupt in speech.”
Old French
Old French
blont
“Dull, blunt, or pale-colored.”
Uncertain Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*blund-
“A root associated with dullness, dimness, or blurring.”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bhel-
“A proposed broader root connected with swelling, shining, or coloring, though the exact connection is uncertain.”