Where does “anciently” come from?
Anciently derives from English ancient, which combines Old English -līċ (resembling, characteristic of) with Latin anteanus (former), itself from Latin ante (before) and ultimately Proto-Indo-European roots meaning "before" and "together."
anciently (English): In the manner of very long ago. As the ancients...
Definitions
- In the manner of very long ago. As the ancients...
Ancestry of “anciently”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | aunciently | Obsolete form of anciently |
| 2 | English | auncient | Obsolete form of ancient |
| 3 | English | ancient | Having lasted from a remote period; having been... |
| 4 | Middle English | auncyen | — |
| 5 | Old French | ancien | old; ancient |
| 6 | Vulgar Latin | anteanus | old, ancient |
| 7 | Latin | ante | before, in front, forwards; before; before,... |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | κλίσις | bending, inclination; a lying down; a place for... |
| 9 | Ancient Greek | -σῐς | "suffix forming nouns" |
| 10 | Ancient Greek | -τις | retained after dentals |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | -tis | Derives abstract/action nouns from verb roots |