# timely

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈtaɪmli/ · frequency rank #8,996

## Definitions
1. Done at the proper time or within the proper time limits; prompt.
2. Happening or appearing at the proper time.
3. Keeping time or measure.

## Etymology
From Middle English timely, tymely, timliche, from Old English *tīmlīc (adjective) and tīmlīċe (“in good time; timely; soon”, adverb), equivalent to time + -ly. Cognate with Danish timelig, Swedish timlig, Icelandic tímalegur, tímanlegur.

## Easily confused with
- **times** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/timely-vs-times)
- **timer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/timely-vs-timer)
- **Timmy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/timely-vs-timmy)
- **truely** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/timely-vs-truely)
- **time** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/time-vs-timely)
- **tilly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tilly-vs-timely)

## Common misspellings (9)
`itmely`, `tiemly`, `timelly`, `timelyy`, `timeyl`, `timley`, `timmely`, `tmiely`, `ttimely`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/timely