"folily" meaning in Middle English

See folily in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adverb

IPA: /ˈfɔliːliː/, /ˈfɔliliː/, /ˈfoːl-/, /-lit͡ʃ(ə)/
Etymology: From folie (“folly”) + -ly (adverbial suffix). First attested in c. 1330. Etymology templates: {{af|enm|folie|-ly|id2=adverbial|pos2=adverbial suffix|t1=folly}} folie (“folly”) + -ly (adverbial suffix), {{etymdate|c|1330}} First attested in c. 1330 Head templates: {{head|enm|adverb}} folily Forms: folilich [alternative], folili [alternative], foliliche [alternative], folilyche [alternative], folyliche [alternative], folyly [alternative], folylyche [alternative], folely [alternative, Late-Middle-English], folilie [alternative, Late-Middle-English], folilye [alternative, Late-Middle-English], folylych [alternative, Late-Middle-English], foolili [alternative, Late-Middle-English]
  1. Foolishly, idiotically, in an ill-advised or knowledgeless way.
    Sense id: en-folily-enm-adv-mAgPmJEH Categories (other): Middle English entries with incorrect language header, Middle English terms suffixed with -ly (adverbial), Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Thinking Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 23 35 42 Disambiguation of Middle English terms suffixed with -ly (adverbial): 24 35 40 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 22 35 43 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 24 34 42 Disambiguation of Thinking: 100 0 0
  2. Immorally; in a sinful, immoral or evil way.
    Sense id: en-folily-enm-adv-1jLjkDB4 Categories (other): Middle English entries with incorrect language header, Middle English terms suffixed with -ly (adverbial), Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 23 35 42 Disambiguation of Middle English terms suffixed with -ly (adverbial): 24 35 40 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 22 35 43 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 24 34 42
  3. (rare) Lustfully, lewdly. Tags: rare
    Sense id: en-folily-enm-adv-WDInwmk2 Categories (other): Middle English entries with incorrect language header, Middle English terms suffixed with -ly (adverbial), Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 23 35 42 Disambiguation of Middle English terms suffixed with -ly (adverbial): 24 35 40 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 22 35 43 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 24 34 42
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Categories (other): Ethics Disambiguation of Ethics: 0 0 0

Alternative forms

{
  "categories": [
    {
      "_dis": "0 0 0",
      "kind": "other",
      "langcode": "enm",
      "name": "Ethics",
      "orig": "enm:Ethics",
      "parents": [],
      "source": "w+disamb"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "folie",
        "3": "-ly",
        "id2": "adverbial",
        "pos2": "adverbial suffix",
        "t1": "folly"
      },
      "expansion": "folie (“folly”) + -ly (adverbial suffix)",
      "name": "af"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "c",
        "2": "1330"
      },
      "expansion": "First attested in c. 1330",
      "name": "etymdate"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From folie (“folly”) + -ly (adverbial suffix). First attested in c. 1330.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "folilich",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "folili",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "foliliche",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "folilyche",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "folyliche",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "folyly",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "folylyche",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "folely",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Late-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "folilie",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Late-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "folilye",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Late-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "folylych",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Late-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "foolili",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Late-Middle-English"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "adverb"
      },
      "expansion": "folily",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "adv",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "23 35 42",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "24 35 40",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English terms suffixed with -ly (adverbial)",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "22 35 43",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "24 34 42",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "100 0 0",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Thinking",
          "orig": "enm:Thinking",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              25,
              31
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1387, Chaucer, “v. 7061”, in The Tale of Melibee:",
          "text": "...for thynges that been folily doon, and that been in hope of Fortune, shullen nevere come to good ende.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Foolishly, idiotically, in an ill-advised or knowledgeless way."
      ],
      "id": "en-folily-enm-adv-mAgPmJEH",
      "links": [
        [
          "Foolishly",
          "foolishly"
        ],
        [
          "idiotically",
          "idiotically"
        ],
        [
          "ill-advised",
          "ill-advised"
        ],
        [
          "knowledgeless",
          "knowledgeless"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "23 35 42",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "24 35 40",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English terms suffixed with -ly (adverbial)",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "22 35 43",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "24 34 42",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Immorally; in a sinful, immoral or evil way."
      ],
      "id": "en-folily-enm-adv-1jLjkDB4",
      "links": [
        [
          "Immorally",
          "immorally"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "23 35 42",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "24 35 40",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English terms suffixed with -ly (adverbial)",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "22 35 43",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "24 34 42",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Lustfully, lewdly."
      ],
      "id": "en-folily-enm-adv-WDInwmk2",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(rare) Lustfully, lewdly."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "rare"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈfɔliːliː/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈfɔliliː/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈfoːl-/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/-lit͡ʃ(ə)/"
    }
  ],
  "word": "folily"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "Middle English adverbs",
    "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
    "Middle English lemmas",
    "Middle English terms suffixed with -ly (adverbial)",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "enm:Ethics",
    "enm:Thinking"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "folie",
        "3": "-ly",
        "id2": "adverbial",
        "pos2": "adverbial suffix",
        "t1": "folly"
      },
      "expansion": "folie (“folly”) + -ly (adverbial suffix)",
      "name": "af"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "c",
        "2": "1330"
      },
      "expansion": "First attested in c. 1330",
      "name": "etymdate"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From folie (“folly”) + -ly (adverbial suffix). First attested in c. 1330.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "folilich",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "folili",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "foliliche",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "folilyche",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "folyliche",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "folyly",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "folylyche",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "folely",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Late-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "folilie",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Late-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "folilye",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Late-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "folylych",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Late-Middle-English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "foolili",
      "tags": [
        "alternative",
        "Late-Middle-English"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "adverb"
      },
      "expansion": "folily",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "adv",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "Middle English terms with quotations",
        "Requests for translations of Middle English quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              25,
              31
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1387, Chaucer, “v. 7061”, in The Tale of Melibee:",
          "text": "...for thynges that been folily doon, and that been in hope of Fortune, shullen nevere come to good ende.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Foolishly, idiotically, in an ill-advised or knowledgeless way."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Foolishly",
          "foolishly"
        ],
        [
          "idiotically",
          "idiotically"
        ],
        [
          "ill-advised",
          "ill-advised"
        ],
        [
          "knowledgeless",
          "knowledgeless"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Immorally; in a sinful, immoral or evil way."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Immorally",
          "immorally"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "Middle English terms with rare senses"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Lustfully, lewdly."
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(rare) Lustfully, lewdly."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "rare"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈfɔliːliː/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈfɔliliː/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈfoːl-/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/-lit͡ʃ(ə)/"
    }
  ],
  "word": "folily"
}

Download raw JSONL data for folily meaning in Middle English (2.4kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable Middle English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-08-02 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-07-06 using wiktextract (d9fa233 and 9e92f4b). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.