The study of the semantic features of rare emotive adverbs ending in -тельно (-telno) is based on Russian fiction of
the 19th century. The author proves that in various contexts such adverbs can function as the external expression of
heroes' emotions, their emotional impact, state and characterization. According to the article the meanings of the adverbs in -тельно (-telno) are often devoid of the verbal character and have abstract qualitative meanings. Whereas, other adverbs with the same -тельно (-telno) have a distinct verbal character.