Where does “arbitrarily” come from?
Arbitrarily derives from English arbitrary, from Latin arbitrarius, from Latin arbiter, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots ḱóm and līg-.
arbitrarily (English): In an arbitrary manner; To an arbitrary degree
Definitions
- In an arbitrary manner; To an arbitrary degree
Ancestry of “arbitrarily”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | -ly | Used to form adjectives from nouns, the... |
| 2 | English | grisly | Horrifyingly repellent; gruesome, terrifying;... |
| 3 | Middle English | grisely | — |
| 4 | Old English | grisliċ | grisly, horrible; dreadful, horrid |
| 5 | Old English | -līċ | suffix forming {{glossary|adjective}}s meaning... |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | *-līk | — |