Dictionary

starkly en · ADV

Etymology

From Middle English starkli, starcliche, sterkliche, stercliche, from Old English stearclīċe (“strongly; stoutly; vigorously; vehemently; fiercely; strictly”), from Proto-Germanic *starkulīka (“strongly; stiffly”), from *starkulīkaz (“strong; rigid”), from *starkuz (“strong; stiff; stark”), equivalent to stark + -ly.

Meanings

1. In a stark manner; with great contrast.
   • We initially came to this data collection technique through research conducted into the linguistic landscape at NIE which yielded an overwhelmingly English-biased signage which was starkly at odds with our own day-to-day experience at the institute. 2019, Li Huang, James Lambert, “Another Arrow for the Quiver: A New Methodology for Multilingual Researchers”, in Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, →DOI, page 1:
   • The dark mountains stood out starkly against the pale sky.

Forms