Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • In an unnecessary manner; without necessity; needlessly; superfluously.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adverb Needlessly, not necessarily
  • adverb Not by necessity.
  • adverb To an extent beyond what is needed.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adverb in an unnecessary manner
  • adverb without any necessity

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

unnecessary +‎ -ly

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