privily

UK/ˈpɹɪvɪli/

adverbC2Rare in speech; mostly a word you read · #15,154 of 15,258Too rare in one of the two pools to compare — fewer than 20 uses in speech or in writing

Privily means secretly, in old use. Sent privily, privily informed, meet privily.

It belongs to the Bible and to older legal English, and privately has entirely replaced it. It is worth knowing for reading rather than for writing. The privy behind it means private, and survives in the Privy Council and in privy to a secret.

Definitions of privily

1adverbprivilySecretly, in old use.C2
“The king's messenger was sent privily by night, so that no one would learn of the plan.”

privily is a manner.

Where it comes from

Middle English prively, from privy, from Old French prive, from Latin privatus, private.

Middle English
prively
English, today
privily

From Middle English prively; equivalent to privy + ly.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

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