uncommonly

Uncommonly is an English adverb formed from the adjective common with the prefix un- and the suffix -ly. It has two main senses. In its most common use today, it functions as an intensifier meaning unusually or exceptionally, especially when describing quality or degree: for example, an uncommonly clear explanation or the road was uncommonly quiet. In its older or more literal sense, it can mean not common or rare, as in this plant is uncommonly found in urban areas. In practice, the degree sense is far more frequent, and the literal sense is often conveyed by synonyms such as rarely or infrequently.

Etymology and form: The word is built from un- + commonly (from the adjective common), with common tracing back through Old French commun and Latin communis to mean shared or public. The adverbial suffix -ly is standard for adverbs in English.

Usage notes: The degree sense is common in formal or literary writing and can color a statement positively or negatively depending on context. The rarity sense appears mainly in descriptive prose and academic writing, typically paired with clarifying words like rarely or seldom for precision.

Examples:

- The speaker delivered an uncommonly lucid lecture.

- It is uncommonly cold for May.

- Uncommonly, the project progressed ahead of schedule.

See also: rarely, unusually, uncommon.