Word for Wednesday: Definitely

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Our Word for Wednesday theme for 2023 is tricky spelling words. This year, after sharing the definition and etymology of each week’s word, we will end every blog post with some tips and tricks to help you spell it.

So far in March, we've looked at words beautiful, because, and business.Our fouth tricky spelling word of the month is definitely.

The word definitely is used to describe something that will happen without doubt or question. 

Here is definitely used in some example sentences:

  • It will definitely rain later. 
  • Are you definitely coming to my party?
  • My spelling has definitely improved since I started practising every day.

Definitely dates to the 1580s and comes from the word definite and the suffix ­-ly. Definite has been used since around 1500 to mean ‘certain’ and since to 1550s to mean ‘having fixed limits’. The word comes from the Latin ‘definitus’.

To help you remember how to spell this word, think of the word fin at the end of a film – it shows that film is definitely over. Definitely also contains the word finite.

Test yourself in one of our spelling games using the word definitely. 


22 Mar 2023
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One of the students has put in a huge amount of effort in completing Spellzone at least 3 times a week since his arrival with us in January. Looking at his scores after the latest GL testing, his standardised score has risen from 99 to 131. This is a truly phenomenal result. I just wanted to share the best result I have ever seen.

Terrie Penrose-Toms, Casterton College

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