Smoothly

Smoothly is an adverb formed from the adjective smooth. It describes the manner of an action or process that proceeds with little or no roughness, interruption, or jerks, and often implies ease or elegance.

Common usages: physical motion (the car glided smoothly), operation of machines (the engine runs smoothly), or progress in events (the negotiations proceeded smoothly). In describing transitions, procedures, or performance, smoothly conveys absence of sudden changes.

In science and mathematics: In physics and engineering, smooth flow refers to laminar flow with a continuous velocity field; in computer animation, smooth motion refers to frames changing gradually to avoid choppiness. In mathematics, "smooth" describes a function or curve differentiable infinitely often; one can say a function changes smoothly.

Origin: The adverb is formed by adding -ly to smooth; the pattern is common in English adverbs. The adjective smooth ultimately traces to Old English and other Germanic roots.