Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adverb Entirely; wholly; completely.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • As a total; completely; entirely; wholly; utterly.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adverb In a total manner; wholly; entirely.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adverb Entirely; completely.
  • adverb degree, colloquial Very; extremely.
  • adverb modal, colloquial Definitely.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adverb to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (`whole' is often used informally for `wholly')

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

total +‎ -ly

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Examples

  • "The Coptic is an uncultivated and formal tongue, with monosyllabic roots and _rude inflexions, totally different_ from the neighbouring languages of Syria and Arabia, _totally opposite_ to the copious and polished Sanscrit."

    Notes and Queries, Number 53, November 2, 1850 Various

  • I wouldn't use the term "totally safe" in relation to radioactive material leaking into groundwater.

    Lee Schneider: Will We See Nuclear Progress in Japan? Lee Schneider 2011

  • I wouldn't use the term "totally safe" in relation to radioactive material leaking into groundwater.

    Lee Schneider: Will We See Nuclear Progress in Japan? Lee Schneider 2011

  • I wouldn't use the term "totally safe" in relation to radioactive material leaking into groundwater.

    The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com Lee Schneider 2011

  • I wasn't sure whether or not "sistren" worked or had been used by anyone, so I googled it, and it totally is a word!

    word tidbits willowfagan 2008

  • He was staring at her, his expression totally bewildered.

    A Hopeless Romantic Harriet Evans 2006

  • He was staring at her, his expression totally bewildered.

    A Hopeless Romantic Harriet Evans 2006

  • He was staring at her, his expression totally bewildered.

    A Hopeless Romantic Harriet Evans 2006

  • He pressed his forehead to mine briefly, then pulled away, his expression totally unrevealing, and now that I was more than ready to hear him out, he seemed reluctant to begin.

    Dark Angel V.C.Andrews® 1986

  • He pressed his forehead to mine briefly, then pulled away, his expression totally unrevealing, and now that I was more than ready to hear him out, he seemed reluctant to begin.

    Dark Angel V.C.Andrews® 1986

Comments

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  • Unintentional Tom Swiftie. Came about through environment groups lobbying against a new project that is ultimately owned by the energy company Total.

    "Activist: So we've sent them a letter outlining our concerns about the gas plant.

    Interviewer: Do you really think they'll listen to you?

    Activist: I don't think they'll ignore us totally."

    - ABC radio, May 2008.

    June 6, 2008

  • For when you need to talk like a Valley girl:

    "The walls in the mall are totally totally tall."

    (From Tiny Toon Adventures)

    November 23, 2009