downright

Meaning

Adv

1. (figuratively, not-comparable) Completely, wholly.
2. (archaic, figuratively, not-comparable) Of acts or speech: directly and unambiguously; clearly, plainly.
3. (not-comparable, obsolete) Straight down; perpendicularly.
4. (figuratively, not-comparable, obsolete) Immediately at that place and time; without delay; altogether, at once, then and there.

Adj

1. (figuratively) Absolute, complete.
2. (figuratively) Of a person or their behaviour: direct, plain, straightforward; also, of speech: direct and unambiguous; blunt, to the point.
3. (obsolete) Coming straight down; directed vertically.
4. (figuratively, obsolete) Chiefly in downright money: in its most basic form; ordinary.

Noun

1. (in-plural, obsolete) A low grade of wool from the lower parts of the sides of a fleece.
2. (obsolete, rare) A vertical line; a perpendicular, a vertical.

Synonyms

absolute

utter

thorough

simply

direct

sheer

rank

plain

outright

clear

out-and-out

right-down

flat

complete

straightforward

⬆️

quite

evendown

upright

arrant

visible

categorical

blatant

definite

total

right

real

straight

unequivocal

live

honest

consummate

head-on

gross

considerably

broad

frontal

forthright

considerable

proper

expressed

confirmed

all right

pronounced

positively

distinct

point-blank

plump

pure

discernible

plum

Translations

carrément

vraiment

véritable

absolut

ausgesprochen

complètement

direct

völlig

gerade

unzweideutig

offen

offenherzig

ehrlich

catégorique

ganz und gar

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈdaʊnˌɹaɪt/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: dounright

In summary

The adverb is derived from Middle English dounright, dounriȝt (“right down, straight down; face down; vertically; used for emphasis: outright, downright”), and then either:
* possibly an aphetic form of adounright (“straight down; directly, immediately (?)”), from adoun (“downward”, adverb) (from Old English adūn, adūne (“down, downward”, adverb), ultimately from dūn (“hill, mountain”), from Proto-West Germanic *dūnā, *dūnu (“hill; sand dune”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewh₂- (“haze, mist; smoke”)) + right (“direct; straight; etc.”, adjective) (from Old English riht (“straight; etc.”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- (“to straighten”)); or
* from doun (“down, downward; etc.”, adverb) (from Old English dūne (“down”), ultimately from dūn (“hill, mountain”): see above) + right.
By surface analysis, down (adverb) + right (adjective).
The adjective and noun are derived from the adverb. Noun sense 1 (“low grade of wool”) may be from the obsolete adjective sense 2.2 (“in its most basic form; ordinary”).