Namely
Pronunciation
- IPA: /ˈneɪmlɪ/
Full definition of namely
Adverb
namely
- (now rare) Especially, above all.
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book VIII:Thus was Sir Tramtryste longe there well cherysshed with the kynge and wyth the quene – and namely with La Beale Isode.
- Specifically; that is to say.
- 1905, w, w:The Case of Miss Elliott Chapter 1, “The story of this adoption is, of course, the pivot round which all the circumstances of the mysterious tragedy revolved. Mrs. Yule had an only son, namely, William, to whom she was passionately attached ; but, like many a fond mother, she had the desire of mapping out that son's future entirely according to her own ideas. …”
- I asked a friend, namely, Paul.There are three ways to do it, namely, the right way, the wrong way and the Army way.
Usage notes
A synonymous expression is the use of colon—":", as in "There are three ways to do it: the right way, the wrong way ..."
Considered a dependent clause, a comma should follow the expression and either a semicolon or comma should precede it, depending on the strength of the break in continuity. "Namely" can thus almost be considered a conjunction.