gently

Gently is an adverb in English that describes performing an action in a mild, careful, or tender manner. It modifies verbs and, less commonly, clauses to convey gentleness rather than force. Common usages include speaking, handling objects, and carrying out tasks with care: for example, She spoke gently to the child; He laid the baby down gently; Stir the sauce gently to prevent scorching.

Etymology and form: Gently is derived from the adjective gentle plus the adverbial suffix -ly. The adjective gentle itself comes from Old French gentil, ultimately from Latin gentilis, and has long carried senses of gentleness, kindness, and mildness in English. As an adverb, gently often emphasizes the manner of action rather than its outcome.

Nuances and usage: Gently connotes softness, restraint, and care, and is often chosen to avoid abruptness, harm, or alarm. It differs from softly (which can describe sound or texture) and from tenderly (which emphasizes emotional warmth). The term is widely used in parenting, caregiving, medical contexts, cooking, and everyday instruction.

See also: gentle, gentleness, softly, tenderly, kindly.