lyically

Lyically is an English adverb that appears in some texts to describe something done in a manner characteristic of lyrics—poetic, musical, or expressive in verse. In contemporary usage, the standard adverb is lyrically, and lyically is commonly considered a nonstandard spelling or a misspelling of that form.

Etymology: The adjective lyrical derives from the noun lyric, which in turn comes from Latin lyricus and Greek lyrikos. The adverb is formed by adding the suffix -ly to lyrical, yielding lyrically. The form lyically arises as a variant spelling in English, often through confusion or phonetic approximation, and is not universally recognized in dictionaries.

Usage notes: In formal writing, prefer lyrically. Many editors and dictionaries do not list lyically as a standard entry, treating it as a misspelling or nonstandard variant. When encountered, lyically is typically corrected to lyrically. In casual or creative writing, some authors may retain the form, but readers should regard it as nonstandard and be prepared for a spelling error rather than a distinct meaning.

Relation to related terms: Lyrical describes the quality of poetry or song that is expressive and musical. Lyric refers to the words of a song or a type of poetry. The adverb form most often used to modify how something is expressed in verse or song is lyrically; lyically is rarely accepted as correct a usage.

See also: Lyric, Lyrical, Lyricism.