Where does “civilly” come from?
Civilly derives from Middle English -ly added to civil, which comes from Old English -līċ modifying Latin civilis, itself formed from Latin -ilis suffixed to a root from Proto-Indo-European ḱey- meaning to lie down or dwell.
civilly (English): in a civil manner; politely
Definitions
- in a civil manner; politely
Ancestry of “civilly”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | civil | Having to do with people and government office as... |
| 2 | Middle English | cyvyl | — |
| 3 | Old French | civil | — |
| 4 | Latin | cīvīlis | — |
| 5 | Latin | -ilis | -ile |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | -elis | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -elis | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -lós | Forms agent nouns from verbal roots |