Barrenly is a word that is not commonly used in everyday language, but it is still important to understand its meaning and usage. This article will provide a comprehensive overview of the definition, origin, associations, synonyms, antonyms, and example sentences of the word barrenly.
Definitions
Barrenly is an adverb that means “in a barren manner” or “in a way that is unproductive or unfruitful”. It is derived from the word barren, which means “unable to produce offspring or fruit” or “lacking in vegetation or resources”.
Origin
The word barrenly has its roots in the Middle English word barrene, which meant “desolate” or “uninhabited”. It was derived from the Old French word barain, which meant “sterile” or “unproductive”. The word barrenly has been in use since the 16th century.
Meaning in different dictionaries
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, barrenly means “in a barren manner”. The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as “in a way that is unproductive or unfruitful”. The Cambridge Dictionary defines barrenly as “in a way that is unproductive or without success”.
Associations
The word barrenly is often associated with desolation, infertility, and unproductiveness. It is used to describe a situation or environment that is lacking in resources or productivity.
Synonyms
Some synonyms of barrenly include unproductively, fruitlessly, ineffectively, pointlessly, and unprofitably.
Antonyms
Antonyms of barrenly include productively, effectively, successfully, efficiently, and profitably.
The same root words
The word barrenly is derived from the word barren, which has several related words, including barrenness, barren land, barren desert, and barren wasteland.
Example Sentences
- The land was barrenly devoid of vegetation.
- The company invested in a project that turned out to be barrenly unprofitable.
- The artist was creatively barrenly and unable to produce any new work.
- The team played barrenly in the first half of the game, but managed to turn things around in the second half.
- The writer’s attempts to write a novel were barrenly unsuccessful.