Suffix -ly forming adjectives

"-ly combines with nouns and occasionally adjectives to form new adjectives. Adejctives formed in this way describe things or people that have the qualities or characteristics which are typical of the original nouns and adjectives. For example, if someone is 'lively', they are very active, enthusiastic, and cheerful; if someone is 'frindly', they behave in a pleasant and kind way as if they are or would like to be your friend.

They are bright, alert and lively.

They were beautiful, lovely people.

Here is a list of words with this meaning:

brotherly

costly

deadly

earthly

easterly

elderly

fatherly

friendly

heavenly

kindly

leisurely

lively

lonely

lovely

lowly

manly

motherly

northerly

orderly

saintly

shapely

sickly

sisterly

southerly

westerly

womanly

worldly

...

PRODUCTIVE USE: -ly combines with nouns that refer to people in order to form adjectives. For example, 'soldierly' skills are skills that a soldier typically has; 'musicianly' interests are interests that a musician is likely to have.

To prove their soldierly abilities they started cutting off the knot of hair the Navahos wore.

She was on neighbourly terms with the Woods."

Text extracted from Collins Cobuild English Guides 2: Word Formation.

London, HarperCollinsPublishers, 1991. p. 101-102