pre-eminentlyadv.
/priːˈɛmᵻnəntli/, /prɪˈɛmᵻnəntli/, U.S. /priˈɛmənən(t)li/ To a pre-eminent extent; so as to be pre-eminent; outstandingly, supremely; especially, above all.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > surpassing excellence > [adverb]
sovereignlyc1340
excellentlyc1400
by (an, way of) excellencec1450
transcendingly1528
exquisitely1535
precellently?1567
divinely1582
par excellence1584
pre-eminently1590
superlatively1596
surpassing1598
by (way of) eminency1608
superexcellently1615
by (way of) eminence1621
transcendently1623
surpassingly1658
exquisitively1660
par eminence1823
heavenlike1832
transcendentally1870
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > pre-eminence > [adverb]
highlyOE
overalla1225
with the firstc1300
principally1340
principalc1390
in principala1393
chiefly14..
ratherestc1400
rathestc1400
primarily1587
kat' exochen1588
paravant1590
pre-eminently1590
primely1610
cardinally1631
transeminently1642
paramountly1798
par eminence1823
the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > high or intense degree > [adverb] > in the greatest degree or most > in or to the highest degree
principallyc1390
speciallya1425
consummately1529
extremelya1533
out1555
pre-eminently1590
superlatively1596
supremely1597
supereminently1610
super-superlatively1632
ad extremum1640
highest1726
supernally1874
1590 W. Clever Flower of Phisicke 54 If moyst humour preheminentlie be placed.
1660 S. Fisher Rusticus ad Academicos i. iii. 42 In more fulness of shame and confusion of face, then could have befell them possibly, had they never been so preheminently exalted.
1713 T. H. Form of Holy Scriptural Divinity xxvi. 151 The Elect shall be conformable to Christ; because as Christ is pre-eminently Priest and King, so he will make his Elect, both Priests..and also Spiritual Kings.
1729 J. Mitchell Poems Several Occasions I. 89 Labour and Ease He had already prov'd: But neither yet, præ-eminently, lov'd.
1747 D. Mallet Amyntor & Theodora ii. 190 From another's fate, Pre-eminently wretched, learn thy own.
1821 J. Bentham Elements Art of Packing 149 The argument of this pre-eminently learned Judge.
1865 D. Livingstone & C. Livingstone Narr. Exped. Zambesi xxix. 587 The region indicated is preeminently a cotton-field.
1910 Times 18 May 14/5 The albatross is pre-eminently the gliding soarer of the bird kingdom.
1939 Times 13 May 14/7 Hundreds of aeroplanes were lined up, including pre-eminently the German and Italian squadrons which came to the help of the hard-pressed Nationalists.
1969 G. Greene Coll. Ess. III. ii. 294 He had not been pre-eminently successful at Trinity College.
2004 D. Hopkins Dada & Surrealism v. 126 After all, fashion advertising is pre-eminently based on artifice.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adv.1590