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Origin and history of anatomically

anatomically(adv.)

"in an anatomical manner," 1640s, from anatomical + -ly (2). Anatomically correct, in reference to dolls and meaning "with genitalia," is attested by 1968, perhaps 1967, American English, in reference to Petit Frère, an imported French boy doll.

Entries linking to anatomically

"of or pertaining to anatomy," 1580s; see anatomy + -ical.

common adverbial suffix, forming, from adjectives, adverbs signifying "in a manner denoted by" the adjective; Middle English -li, from Old English -lice, from Proto-Germanic *-liko- (source also of Old Frisian -like, Old Saxon -liko, Dutch -lijk, Old High German -licho, German -lich, Old Norse -liga, Gothic -leiko). See -ly (1). It is cognate with lich, and identical with like (adj.).

Weekley notes as "curious" that Germanic uses a word essentially meaning "body" for the adverbial formation, while Romanic uses one meaning "mind" (as in French constamment from Latin constanti mente). The modern English form emerged in late Middle English, probably from influence of Old Norse -liga.

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