Standard Lemma guide

patently

adv · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈpeɪtəntli/
  • General-American: /ˈpætən(t)li/
  • General-American: /ˈpeɪtən(t)li/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: P AE1 T AH0 N T L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

In a clear and unambiguous manner.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: negative, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: explicitly, expressly, unambiguously, demonstrably, clearly, directly, downrightly, expressis verbis, patently, plainly, specifically, unequivocally, univocally

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

Outspread, or spreading at right angles to the axis.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, botany, natural-sciences

Examples

  • abaxial surface patently pilose-puberulous

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adverb

Meaning 3

unmistakably (`plain' is often used informally for `plainly')

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the answer is obviously wrong
  • she was in bed and evidently in great pain
  • he was manifestly too important to leave off the guest list
  • it is all patently nonsense
  • she has apparently been living here for some time
  • I thought he owned the property, but apparently not
  • You are plainly wrong
  • he is plain stubborn

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: obviously, evidently, manifestly, apparently, plainly, plain

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English patent Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-Germanic *-ê Proto-Germanic *-līkê Proto-West Germanic *-līkē Old English -līċe Middle English -ly English -ly English patently From patent + -ly.

Across languages

Translations

23 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: явно (javno) — in a clear and unambiguous manner
  • Bulgarian: очевидно (očevidno) — in a clear and unambiguous manner
  • Dutch: klaarblijkelijk — in a clear and unambiguous manner
  • Dutch: kennelijk — in a clear and unambiguous manner
  • Finnish: selvästi — in a clear and unambiguous manner
  • Finnish: ilmiselvästi — in a clear and unambiguous manner
  • French: clairement — in a clear and unambiguous manner
  • French: absolument — in a clear and unambiguous manner
  • German: offensichtlich — in a clear and unambiguous manner
  • German: offenbar — in a clear and unambiguous manner
  • Italian: palesemente — in a clear and unambiguous manner
  • Italian: chiaramente — in a clear and unambiguous manner
  • Italian: evidentemente — in a clear and unambiguous manner
  • Macedonian: очигледно (očigledno) — in a clear and unambiguous manner
  • Occitan: clarament — in a clear and unambiguous manner
  • Occitan: evidentament — in a clear and unambiguous manner
  • Polish: ewidentnie — in a clear and unambiguous manner
  • Polish: oczywiście — in a clear and unambiguous manner
  • Russian: я́вно (jávno) — in a clear and unambiguous manner
  • Russian: я́сно (jásno) — in a clear and unambiguous manner
  • Spanish: patentemente — in a clear and unambiguous manner
  • Spanish: a ojos vista — in a clear and unambiguous manner
  • Spanish: a ojos vistas — in a clear and unambiguous manner