different between feebly vs feely

English

Etymology

From Middle English febly; equivalent to feeble +? -ly, euphonically blending -le and -ly due to difficulty of pronouncing *-blely. Compare nimbly, nobly, and Latinate -ably and -ibly.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?fi?bli/
• Hyphenation: feeb?ly

Adverb

feebly (comparative more feebly, superlative most feebly)

1. In a feeble manner.

References

• feebly in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Anagrams

• bee fly

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fi?li/
• Rhymes: -i?li

Etymology 1

From feal +? -y.

Alternative forms

• fealy

Adjective

feely (comparative more feely, superlative most feely)

1. (dialectal) soft; smooth; velvety

Etymology 2

From feel +? -y.

Adjective

feely (comparative feelier, superlative feeliest)

1. (informal) Tending to feel things by physically touching them.
   • 1973, Penthouse (volume 8, issues 7-12, page 48)

     […] [when] I realized that Derek, the photographer, was stroking me I wasn't particularly worried; frankly I was enjoying the sensation — I'm a very feely person, I like touching other people and being touched.

Related terms

• feelie
• feely box
• touchy-feely

Etymology 3

From Italian figlie (“children”)

Alternative forms

• feele, feelier, fellia

Noun

feely (plural feelies)

1. (Polari) A child; a young person.

Derived terms

• feely-omi (“boy”)