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cleanly

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cleanly¹

  • /ˈklɛnli/

Rhymes with -ɛnli

Where it comes from

From Middle English clenly, clenliche, clanly, from Old English clǣnlīċ (“cleanly, pure, excellent”), equivalent to clean + -ly.

adjective cleanlier · more cleanly · cleanliest · most cleanly · clenly

  1. Being habitually clean, practising good hygiene. I'l now lead you to an honeſt Ale-houſe, where we ſhall find a cleanly room, Lavender in the windowes, and twenty Ballads ſtuck about the wall; […]
  2. obsolete Cleansing; fitted to remove moisture; dirt, etc. In our Fantaſtic Climes the Fair / With cleanly Powder dry their Hair: […]
  3. obsolete Adroit; dexterous; artful. Yet at the laſt (ſo well he him applyde,) / Through his fine handling, and cleanly play, / He all thoſe royall ſignes had ſtolne away, / And with the Foxes helpe them borne aſide, / Into a ſecret corner vneſpide.

Opposite: uncleanly, dirty

cleanly²

  • /ˈkliːnli/ UK, US

Rhymes with -iːnli

Where it comes from

From Middle English clenly, clenli, clenliche, from Old English clǣnlīċe (“cleanly”), equivalent to clean + -ly.

adverb cleanlier · more cleanly · cleanliest · most cleanly

  1. In a clean way, neatly. He was very cleanly dressed, in a blue coat, striped waistcoat, and nankeen trowsers; […]
  2. Not causing a mess or unnecessary damage. We agreed to break off our relationship cleanly.
  3. Innocently; without stain. If I do growe great, ile growe leſſe, for ile purge and leaue Sacke, and liue cleanlie as a noble man ſhould do.

    Similar: purely, sinlessly, blamelessly, cleanly, guiltlessly, innocently, irreprehensibly, unblameably, unblamefully

  4. Adroitly; dexterously. The boy will do well certain : give him grace To have a quick hand and convey things cleanly

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: clean, flawlessly, separable, successfully, typed, fairly, correctly, properly, ordered, sorted, neat-handed, well-handled, orderly, scrupulous, studied, neathanded

adjective

Opposite: uncleanly, dirty

Translations

Every language

adj being habitually clean

Françaispropre sur soi
Deutschreinlich
Русскийчистопло́тный čistoplótnyj

adv in a clean way

Españollimpiamente
Françaisproprement

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Cite this
MLA

"cleanly." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/cleanly. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

cleanly. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/cleanly

Chicago

"cleanly." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/cleanly.

BibTeX
@misc{cleanly_2026,
  title = {cleanly},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/cleanly},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}