# wholly

> English word · Adverb · IPA /ˈhəʊ.li/ · frequency rank #9,275

## Definitions
1. Completely and entirely; to the fullest extent; (loosely, exaggeratedly) very; to a great extent.
2. Exclusively and solely.

## Etymology
From Middle English holly, holeliche, holliche (also as halely, hallich, etc.), equivalent to whole + -ly. Doublet of holy.

## Easily confused with
- **willy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wholly-vs-willy)
- **whorl** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wholly-vs-whorl)
- **woolly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wholly-vs-woolly)
- **Woolley** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wholly-vs-woolley)
- **whole** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/whole-vs-wholly)
- **Wally** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wally-vs-wholly)
- **holy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/holy-vs-wholly)

## Common misspellings (8)
`hwolly`, `whholly`, `whloly`, `whollyy`, `wholy`, `wholyl`, `wohlly`, `wwholly`

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