Merrily
/ˈmer.ɪ.li/noun
In a cheerful, lively, or lighthearted manner.
Did you know?The exact origin of “merry” is uncertain, but Old English used its ancestor *myrige* for something pleasant, agreeable, or joyful.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Germanic
*murgijaz
“Possibly pleasant or short-lived; the precise origin is uncertain”
Old English
Old English
myrige
“Pleasant, agreeable, joyful”
Middle English
Middle English
mery
“Cheerful, joyous, pleasant”
14th Century
English
merily
“In a cheerful or joyful manner”
Modern English
English
merrily
“Cheerfully, gaily, or lightheartedly”