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Added 9 October 2026

starkly

adverb

adverb Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. More about starkly at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

In a stark manner.
He was starkly unable to achieve coherence
In sharp outline or contrast.
the black walls rose starkly from the snow
In a blunt manner.
in starkly realistic terms

Origin

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.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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