Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adverb Perhaps.
  • adverb Conceivably.
  • adverb Under any circumstances.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • In a possible manner; by any power, moral or physical, really existing; by possibility.
  • Perhaps; perchance.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adverb In a possible manner; by possible means; especially, by extreme, remote, or improbable intervention, change, or exercise of power; by a chance; perhaps.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adverb Indicates that the proposition may be true (is not certainly false) regardless of any facts or circumstances known to, stated by or implied by the speaker.
  • adverb modifying a verb Indicates that the action may successfully be performed (is not impossible) regardless of any facts or circumstances known to, stated by or implied by the speaker that might limit the performance.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adverb by chance
  • adverb to a degree possible of achievement or by possible means

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

possible +‎ -ly

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Examples

  • "I talked it over as a supposititious case with Howe the other day, and he said that if Blair would agree, possibly -- mind you, only _possibly_; -- a divorce could be arranged."

    The Iron Woman Margaret Wade Campbell Deland 1901

  • Could it possibly, * possibly* be that a genuinely fiscally conservative approach might bet better than what we've dealt with the past 16 years?

    Donklephant 2009

  • Could it possibly, * possibly* be that a genuinely fiscally conservative approach might bet better than what we've dealt with the past 16 years?

    Donklephant 2009

  • Could it possibly, * possibly* be that a genuinely fiscally conservative approach might bet better than what we've dealt with the past 16 years?

    Donklephant 2009

  • Could it possibly, * possibly* be that a genuinely fiscally conservative approach might bet better than what we've dealt with the past 16 years?

    Donklephant 2009

  • Could it possibly, * possibly* be that a genuinely fiscally conservative approach might bet better than what we've dealt with the past 16 years?

    Donklephant 2009

  • Could it possibly, * possibly* be that a genuinely fiscally conservative approach might bet better than what we've dealt with the past 16 years?

    Donklephant 2009

  • Could it possibly, * possibly* be that a genuinely fiscally conservative approach might bet better than what we've dealt with the past 16 years?

    Donklephant 2009

  • “Hooray” can be dated back to 1686 and possibly comes from the German word “hurra,” thebattle-cry of Prussian soldiers during the War of Liberation (1812-13).

    blog – syllable studio 2009

  • But he will face competition for the title possibly from within his own team.

    Tip of the Day 2010

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