ivelmente

The suffix -ivelmente is a productive Portuguese adverbial ending used to form adverbs from adjectives, particularly those that end in -ível or -ível, though it also appears with other bases. When paired with -ível adjectives, the resulting adverb often contains the sequence -ivelmente, as in incrivelmente (from incrível), impossivelmente (from impossível), and inconcebivelmente (from inconcebível). This suffix is part of the broader pattern of turning adjectives into adverbs by adding a form of -mente, with assimilation that yields -ivelmente in many cases.

There is also a related, closely connected form, -avelmente, which tends to appear with adjectives ending in -ável and some others. Examples include provavelmente (from provável) and confiavelmente (from confiável). Both -ivelmente and -avelmente serve to intensify or qualify the degree or manner described by the adjective, but the choice between them is determined by historical phonology and the morphology of the base adjective.

Etymology traces -ível and -ável to Latin -ibilis and -abilis, with -mente as a Latin-derived adverbial suffix corresponding to the French -ment et al. The combined forms -ivelmente and -avelmente reflect assimilation processes that create fluid, common adverbs in Portuguese.

Usage notes: -ivelmente is common in formal and informal writing, especially in contexts that emphasize degree or manner of a quality. It can convey strong emphasis, corresponding in English to forms like incredibly, impossibly, or inconceivably. In some cases, speakers favor the -avelmente variant (e.g., provavelmente, confiavelmente) depending on the base word and regional preference.