Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “casually” come from?

Casually derives from English casual, which comes from Middle French casuel, ultimately from Latin cadere meaning "to fall," via the adjectival suffix -alis.

casually (English): In a casual manner

Definitions

  1. In a casual manner

Ancestry of “casually”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcasualHappening by chance; Coming without regularity;...
2Middle Frenchcasuelfatal; of or relating to chance or fate
3Late Latincasualishappening by chance; fortuitous; casual
4Latincasusa fall, downwards movement; accident, chance; an...
5Latincaderepresent active infinitive of cadō; to fall, to...
6LatincadoI fall, I fall out; I die; I cease
7Proto-Italickadōfall, sink
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱad-to fall
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱad- →