The adverb "passably" (IPA: ˈpæs.ə.bli) means moderately, fairly, or tolerably. The spelling of "passably" follows the common spelling rule for words ending in '-able' or '-ible.' The 'a' in the second syllable is pronounced as a schwa sound ('ə'), which is the most common vowel sound in English. However, the 'a' in the first syllable is pronounced more like the 'a' in 'past' than the 'a' in 'pass'. Knowing the IPA phonetic transcription can help you correctly spell and pronounce challenging English words like "passably".
Passably is an adverb that is used to describe something that is done, performed, or executed in a satisfactory or acceptable manner, but not exceptionally or remarkably so. It typically implies competence or average skill in achieving a certain standard or level of success, but falls short of being outstanding or exceptional.
When used to describe someone's appearance, passably means that their looks are satisfactory, adequate, or presentable, without being particularly attractive. It suggests that they have a decent appearance or are reasonably well put together, without standing out or making a strong impression.
In terms of performance or ability, passably means that someone is capable of doing something fairly adequately, without being exceptionally talented or skilled in that particular area. It indicates a sufficient level of proficiency, enough to get by or complete a task, but lacking in expertise or remarkable talent.
Moreover, passably can also be used to describe something that is moderately or fairly good, although not extraordinary or outstanding. It suggests that the quality or standard of the thing being described is adequate or satisfactory, but not exceptionally high.
Overall, passably signifies adequacy, sufficiency, or acceptability without being remarkable, exceptional, or outstanding. It is used to describe something or someone that is satisfactory or competent, but falls short of being outstanding or exceptional in any particular way.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "passably" comes from the verb "pass" + the suffix "-ably".
The verb "pass" originated from the Old English word "passan", which means "to go by, move past, or cross over". It can be traced back further to the Proto-Germanic word "passaną" and the Proto-Indo-European root "*p(h)ēs-", meaning "to protect, feed, graze".
The suffix "-ably" is derived from the Old French "-able" or Latin "-abilis", which indicates the capability or ability of something. It ultimately goes back to the Proto-Indo-European suffix "*-h₁bʰl-", meaning "having the quality of".