Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “caressingly” come from?

Caressingly derives from Middle English -ly, Old English -līċ, Proto-Germanic -līkaz, Proto-Germanic galīkaz, and Proto-Indo-European līg- and ḱóm, ultimately from roots meaning "body" and "together."

caressingly (English): In a caressing manner; soothingly

Definitions

  1. In a caressing manner; soothingly

Ancestry of “caressingly”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1English-lyUsed to form adjectives from nouns, the...
2EnglishgrislyHorrifyingly repellent; gruesome, terrifying;...
3Middle Englishgrisely—
4Old Englishgrisliċgrisly, horrible; dreadful, horrid
5Old English-līċsuffix forming {{glossary|adjective}}s meaning...
6Proto-Germanic*-līk—
Every word from Proto-Germanic *-līk →