Deathly

Deathly is an English adjective and, less commonly, an adverb used to describe something relating to death, something lethal, or to convey a death-like or highly intense quality. In everyday use it often appears in phrases such as deathly pale, deathly silence, or deathly quiet, where it emphasizes an extreme or unsettling characteristic rather than an explicit act of killing.

Etymology and sense development trace deathly to Old English deaðlīc, meaning death-like, from deað, death, with the suffix -līc forming adjectives. Over time, the sense broadened to include implications of extreme severity or ominous atmosphere, as in a deathly pallor or a deathly hush.

Usage notes include a distinction from deadly. Deathly typically signals a resemblance to death or an ominous or unnerving quality, rather than something that directly causes death. Deadly, by contrast, more often denotes lethality or extreme effectiveness, as in deadly weapon or a deadly toxin. Both can function as intensifiers, but they carry different connotations.

In literature and journalism, deathly appears in Gothic, suspenseful, and historical contexts to evoke mood or tone. It is common in fixed phrases; less formal or modern uses may sound archaic to some readers, while others use it for stylistic emphasis.

See also: death, deadly, deathlike, morbid, ghastly.