Where does “accidently” come from?
accidently (English) comes from Middle English accidently, from Middle English -ly, from Old English -līċ, from Proto-Germanic *-līk.
accidently (English): Accidentally; by chance, unintentionally
Definitions
- Accidentally; by chance, unintentionally
Ancestry of “accidently”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | accidently | by chance, by accident; temporarily; not... |
| 2 | Middle English | -ly | Alternative form of -liche |
| 3 | Old English | -līċ | suffix forming {{glossary|adjective}}s meaning... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | *-līk | — |