Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “childly” come from?

childly (English) comes from Middle English childly, from Middle English child, from Old English ċild, from Proto-Germanic kelþaz, from Proto-Indo-European ǵelt-, from Proto-Indo-European ǵel- — to swallow; swallow.

childly (English): Of or pertaining to a young child; childlike

Definitions

  1. Of or pertaining to a young child; childlike

Ancestry of “childly”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishchildlyPertaining to a child; childly; Childish; not...
2Middle EnglishchildA baby, infant, toddler; a person in infancy; A...
3Old Englishċildchild, youth; fetus; female baby; child
4Proto-Germanickelþazfetus; newborn; infant; child
5Proto-Indo-Europeanǵelt-womb
6Proto-Indo-Europeanǵel-to swallow; swallow

Words derived from “childly”

  • childliness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵel- →