gostly

Middle English

Etymology 1

From Old English gāstlīċ (spiritual, holy, clerical (not lay), ghastly, ghostly, spectral). Equivalent to gost + -ly (adjectival suffix).

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈɡɔːstliː/, /-lit͡ʃ/
  • (Northern) IPA(key): /ˈɡaːstliː/

Adjective

gostly

  1. Relating to or belonging to the spirit; spiritual.
  2. Supernatural, incorporeal; consisting of spirit.
  3. Religious, ecclesiastical; non-secular.
  4. Having intense religious faith; devout, pious.
  5. Ghostly, ghastly; related to or like ghosts.
Descendants
  • English: ghostly; ghastly (by conflation)
  • Scots: gaistly, ghaistly
References

Etymology 2

From Old English gāstlīċe, gǣstlīċe. Equivalent to gost + -ly (adverbial suffix).

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈɡɔːstliː/, /-lit͡ʃ(ə)/
  • (Northern) IPA(key): /ˈɡaːstliː/

Adverb

gostly

  1. In a spiritual way; spiritually.
  2. In a devoted way; piously.
  3. In or as a spirit; in incorporeal form.
Descendants
References
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