Regulatively

Regulatively is an adverb formed from the adjective regulative, relating to regulation or the process of governing through rules. It describes actions, analyses, or descriptions that pertain to regulation rather than the substantive content of the rules themselves. The term is most often found in formal or technical writing.

Origin and usage: regulative derives from Latin regulativus, via French regulatif, with English suffixes -ive and -ly added to form regulatively. While regulative is the more common adjective, regulatively remains a standard adverb form when an explicit adverbial sense is needed.

Common contexts: policy analysis, law, and philosophy are typical domains for regulatively. For example, one might say, “The committee proceeded regulatively, focusing on procedures and oversight mechanisms rather than policy outcomes.” In philosophy, regulatively is less common than regulative, which is standard when discussing Kantian regulative principles; regulatively could appear in comparisons about how arguments are framed in regulative versus constitutive terms.

Usage notes: regulatively can sound formal or technical in everyday writing. When clarity is preferred, writers may opt for phrases such as “in a regulatory manner” or use the adjective regulative/regulatory depending on the intended emphasis. See also regulative principles in philosophy for related ideas.