proximally

adv

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *prokʷe Proto-Indo-European *prokʷism̥mos Latin proximus Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al English -al English proximal Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-Germanic *-ê Proto-Germanic *-līkê Proto-West Germanic *-līkē Old English -līċe Middle English -ly English -ly English proximally From proximal + -ly.

1. Immediately; most directly

   “A horticulturalist might know that scarlet pimpernels always close up before rain without having any idea whether it is increasing moisture levels, […] or whatever, that they are proximally responding to.”

2. In the proximal direction: reverse of distally