chunkily

Chunkily means in a chunky manner, especially in a way characterized by thick, solid, irregular, or lump-like pieces. It can describe how food is eaten, how material is cut or arranged, or how cargo shifts during movement. The word is closely related to the familiar adjective chunky, but it adds the grammatical ending -ly to turn that description of shape or texture into an adverb describing manner. In “She ate the stew chunkily,” for example, the word suggests that she lifted out and consumed sizeable pieces rather than taking small, careful bites. Chunkily is not especially common in everyday speech, and its slightly literary or descriptive character makes it more noticeable in writing than in conversation. It is useful when an author wants to suggest not merely that an action occurs in pieces, but that those pieces are conspicuously solid, bulky, or uneven.

In a chunky manner; in thick, solid pieces or lumps.

Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.

Etymology of chunkily

Chunkily is an English adverb formed from the adjective chunky by adding the suffix -ly. Chunky was in turn formed from chunk with the suffix -y, and chunk itself has an uncertain origin, although its established English senses include a large piece, lump, or similarly solid portion. The resulting family is English in its immediate formation, with no securely established ancient cognate that should be asserted as its origin.

Related word forms

How chunkily is actually used

This is an uncommon, slightly literary adverb. It is normally descriptive and is less formal than saying that something is done in chunks or piece by piece.

What's another word for chunkily?

Rhymes with chunkily