fattily

Fattily is a rare English adverb meaning “in a fat or fatty manner.” It is formed from the adjective fatty by adding the adverb-forming suffix -ly, so the final -y of the adjective is retained before the suffix. The word can describe an action or manner associated with fat, oil, richness, or abundance, although its precise implications depend on context. For example, it may be used of melting cheese, spreading a fatty substance, or cooking food rich in fat. Because fattily is uncommon in contemporary prose and conversation, writers will often use the shorter and more familiar fatly when they mean “in a fat manner.” It is also distinct from fatally, which concerns death or a disastrous outcome, and from fatuously, which means insincerely or absurdly. Fattily is therefore chiefly of interest as a transparent but uncommon word-family member: fat gives rise to fatty, and fatty in turn gives rise to fattily.

In a fat or fatty manner.

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

Where does fattily come from?

Fattily is a regular English derivation of fatty plus the adverb-forming suffix -ly. The adjective fatty itself comes from fat, with the suffix -y forming an adjective associated with fat or grease. English consequently contains a simple chain from fat through fatty to fattily, although the last form is much less common than the other two.

How fattily is actually used

This is a rare adverb rather than a region-specific one. When referring to something fat or to a fat person, standard English usually favors fatly.

Easily confused with fattily