I. ˈlōlē, -li adverb
Etymology: Middle English, from low (IV) + -ly, adverb suffix
1. : in a lowly manner : humbly , meekly , modestly
bowed lowly before her
2. : in a low position, manner, or degree
affected rams are usually lowly fertile — Fertility of Sheep
rare records … lowly priced — advt
3. : in a low voice : not loudly
II. adjective
( -er/-est )
Etymology: Middle English, from low (IV) + -ly, adjective suffix
1.
a. : humble in manner or spirit : modest , moderate , meek
taught him to be lowly and reverent
b. : of or relating to a low social or economic rank
a man of lowly birth
they were too lowly to associate with me — G.B.Shaw
c. : low in the scale of biological or cultural evolution
a lowly society of the present day — Notes & Queries on Anthropology
accepted the possibility that lowly … animals might be generated spontaneously — S.F.Mason
d. : ranking low in some hierarchy
a lowly instructor in government — Fred Rodell
a lowly parish priest
e. : low in order of importance, value, or esteem
need not trouble himself with the lowly business of reading and writing if he had a good scribe — G.B.Jeffery
made from a lowly railroad spike — R-Mor-Plate
f. : not lofty or sublime : prosaic , commonplace
using great words on the lowlier subject, contrives to make them appropriate — A.T.Quiller-Couch
2. : low in position or growth : being relatively close to the ground
the starvation need of air and light allotted to the lowly growths — William Beebe
Synonyms: see humble