Pointedly
/ˈpɔɪn.tɪd.li/noun
In a direct, deliberate, and often noticeable way.
Did you know?The core of *pointedly* goes back to Latin *punctum* (“a prick, dot”), the same root behind *puncture*, *punctual*, and even the tiny marks that once controlled how words were read aloud.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*peuk-
“to prick, pierce, or sting”
Latin
Latin
punctum
“a prick, dot, or small point”
Late Latin
Latin
punctāre
“to prick repeatedly”
Old French
Old French
point
“a point, dot, or sharp tip”
Middle English
English
pointen
“to direct or aim sharply; to indicate”
Modern English
English
pointedly
“in a direct, emphatic, or often deliberately noticeable manner”