Freshly

'frɛʃli

adverbBeginner📊CommonQuality
1 meaning1 idiom/phrase3 questions

Definitions

1

In a new or recent state; recently.

'frɛʃli

adverbneutralBeginner
Quality

In a fresh or new manner; recently.

The flowers were freshly cut from the garden.

💡 Simply: Imagine you just got something new or did something a little while ago. 'Freshly' means it's new or just done. Like, 'I *freshly* brewed coffee,' means you made it a little bit ago, so it's still warm and yummy!

👶 For kids: It means something is new or just happened. Like, if you have a *freshly* made cookie, it's hot and new!

More Examples

2

The report was freshly updated to include the latest data.

3

He was freshly out of college when he got the job.

How It's Used

Culinary

"The bread was freshly baked this morning."

General

"She had freshly painted the walls."

Idioms & expressions

fresh off the boat

Newly arrived from another country and therefore unfamiliar with the local customs.

"He was fresh off the boat and didn't know the local customs."

From Middle English freschly, equivalent to fresh + -ly. 'Fresh' comes from Old French 'fresche', from late Latin 'fresco' meaning 'cool' or 'new'. The '-ly' suffix transforms an adjective into an adverb.

The adverb 'freshly' has been used since the Middle Ages, coinciding with the development of the adjective 'fresh'. It reflects the importance of describing the recent state of things, especially food and materials.

Memory tip

Think of something made or done very recently.

Word Origin

LanguageOld English
Original meaning

"new, pure, clean; recently made"

freshly bakedfreshly squeezedfreshly cutfreshly madefreshly prepared

Common misspellings

freshleyfreshely

Usage

40%Spoken
60%Written