Where does “barely” come from?
Barely comes from Middle English -ly affixed to bare, which derives from Old English -līċ, ultimately tracing to Proto-Indo-European bʰer- meaning to carry or bear.
barely (English): By a small margin; Almost not at all; merely
Definitions
- By a small margin; Almost not at all; merely
Ancestry of “barely”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | bare | Minimal; that is or are just sufficient; Naked,... |
| 2 | Middle English | bare | Alternative form of bor |
| 3 | Old English | bær | bare, naked, unconcealed |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | baʀ | bare, naked |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | bazaz | bare, naked |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰosós | bare, barefoot |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰos- | to sally forth, barge, hurtle out; bare, barefoot |