maypossibly

Maypossibly is a nonstandard string that appears to be the concatenation of the English modal auxiliary may and the adverb possibly. In contemporary English, the conventional way to express tentative probability is the two-word phrase may possibly, or, less commonly, possibly may. The single-word form maypossibly is not recognized as a standard lexical item in major dictionaries and is rarely used by careful writers. When encountered, it is typically the result of a typographical error, data-entry artifact, or automated text generation.

Usage and interpretation

If seen, maypossibly should almost always be read as two words: may possibly. The arrangement may possibly be used for hedging a claim more strongly than may be or possibly alone, though in many contexts writers prefer the clearer combination of may be possible or possibly may occur. The ordering of hedges can affect emphasis; may possibly tends to foreground both the possibility and the speaker’s stance.

Style and acceptability

Most editors and style guides treat may possibly as the preferred form for expressing uncertain likelihood. The continuous version (mays possibly, maypossibly) would be considered nonstandard or erroneous in formal writing. In informal or experimental writing, some authors may experiment with neolographic spellings, but such usage risks ambiguity and decreased readability.

Examples

This may possibly be true.

The plan may possibly succeed, though it faces several obstacles.

In formal reporting, one would typically write: It may be possible that the plan will succeed.

See also

may, possibly, might, might have, hedging in English.