Dictionary

enigmatically en · ADV

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˌɛnɪɡˈmætɪkli/

Etymology

Etymology tree English enigmatic Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al Middle English -ly Middle English -ally English -ally English enigmatically From enigmatic + -ally.

Meanings

1. Acting in a manner that suggests an enigma.
   • He hurried out, glad to escape, leaving Cora frowning enigmatically under her hair. 1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC, page 234:
2. Behaving mysteriously or strangely.
   • "Leila!" she said enigmatically. "Have you seen her?" / "I went to her flat last week with Dad—he likes her." / "Delilah is her real name, you know. All men like her. And Captain Fort is her lover." 1919 October, John Galsworthy, chapter I, in Saint’s Progress, London: William Heinemann, published December 1919, →OCLC, part III, 1 §, page 220:
3. Functioning in a way that is unexplainable.

Forms