ruly
/ˈɹuːli/ adjective, adverb
Forms rulier ruliest
- adjective (obsolete) Pitiable; miserable.
- adverb (obsolete) Pitiably; miserably.
- adjective (rare) Neat and orderly.
Etymology
From Middle English rewly, ruly, rewely, reweliche, from Old English hrēowlīċ (“grievous, pitiful, sad, wretched, cruel”), equivalent to rue + -ly.
From Middle English rewly, reoly, reowliche, from Old English hrēowlīċe (“cruelly”), equivalent to rue + -ly.
Back-formation from unruly, or perhaps a continuation of Middle English rewly, ruly, reuli (“subject to a religious rule, regular”), equivalent to rule + -ly, rule + -y; or perhaps from Old French rulé, reulé, rieulé (“ruled”), past participle of rieuler (“to rule”). More at rule.
Webster’s 1913
Etymology [From Rule.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “ruly”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details