evidentiallyadv.
/ˌɛvᵻˈdɛnʃl̩i/, /ˌɛvᵻˈdɛnʃəli/, U.S. /ˌɛvəˈdɛn(t)ʃəli/ By means of evidence; as regards evidence; as evidence; with regard to its value as evidence.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > testing > attestation, witness, evidence > [adverb]
evidentiallya1651
a1651 C. Love Combate Flesh & Spirit (1654) xxv. 271 God will restraine their wrath by the common workings of his Spirit, and it shall evidentially, turne to his praise.
1654 W. Eyre Vindiciæ Justificationis viii. 79 Faith is from Justification causally, and Justification by Faith evidentially.
a1716 R. South Serm. Several Occasions (1744) IX. 323 They [sc. angels] do not fully and evidentially know them [sc. the mysteries of God].
1742 R. North & M. North Life F. North 173 It was believed, though not so soon evidentially discover'd, that a Rebellion was ready to break out.
1788 G. Nicholson Four Sel. Evangelical Disc. Pref. p. vii I must testify the whole of it, until man shall evidentially shew me what is better.
1836 G. S. Faber Answer Husenbeth 6 Any doctrine which can be shewn evidentially to have existed in the third century.
1886 E. Gurney et al. Phantasms of Living I. 35 Of the two series..the second is evidentially to be preferred.
1919 W. H. Black Real Criminal Case 3 Nothing goes further toward strengthening the case evidentially than the production and identification in court of the articles stolen.
1963 Economist 18 May 671/3 Warnings against the facile use of growth statistics, and their facile compilation in ways..evidentially unsubstantiated, are seldom heeded.
2001 Daily Tel. 5 Oct. 6/6 Intelligence often cannot be used evidentially..due..to the need to protect the safety of sources.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2018; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adv.a1651