The spelling of the word "poorly" is straightforward once you understand its pronunciation. IPA phonetic transcription for "poorly" is /ˈpʊərli/. It is pronounced with two syllables and the stress falls on the first syllable. The phonetic transcription shows that the first vowel is pronounced as "u" as in "book", whereas the second vowel is pronounced as "e" as in "bed". The "r" is silent in this word. Understanding the phonetic transcription can help in improving spelling and pronunciation of "poorly."
Poorly is an adverb that is commonly used to describe something being done or performed in an unsatisfactory or inferior manner. It suggests a lack of skill, proficiency, quality, or effectiveness in the task or action being evaluated. When something is done poorly, it typically means it falls short of meeting certain standards, expectations, or requirements.
Additionally, poorly can refer to someone's state of health or physical condition. In this context, it implies that a person is unwell or experiencing illness, weakness, or discomfort. It encompasses a wide range of symptoms or issues, including feeling sick, having reduced energy levels, experiencing pain, or being generally unresponsive.
The word "poorly" can also be used to describe the condition or quality of an object, place, or substance. It indicates that something is in a bad state, damaged, defective, or not functioning properly.
As an adverb, poorly expresses an overall sense of lack, insufficiency, or inadequacy. It can be applied across various contexts such as work, health, performance, execution, or overall condition. Its usage helps to convey a negative evaluation, criticism, or dissatisfaction towards the thing being described.
With little or no success; some what ill; indisposed.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* 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 "poorly" came into English during the 14th century from the Middle English word "povreli". It is formed by combining "poor", which comes from the Old French word "povre", meaning "lacking material possessions", and the suffix "-ly", which is used to form adverbs in English. Therefore, "poorly" originally meant "in a poor or lacking manner". Over time, its meaning extended to refer to something done in an inadequate, unsatisfactory, or unwell manner.