Where does “cleverly” come from?
Cleverly derives from English clever, which comes from Old English -līċ, ultimately from Proto-Germanic -līkaz and galīkaz, tracing back to Proto-Indo-European līg- and ḱóm.
cleverly (English): Wittily; in a tricky manner; Intelligently...
Definitions
- Wittily; in a tricky manner; Intelligently...
Ancestry of “cleverly”, step by step
cleverly traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old English lēah
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | lēah | meadow; clearing with a pigsty; woodland,... |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | lauh | clearing; meadow |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | lauhaz | clearing; meadow |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | lówkos | clearing; open space, clearing; field, meadow |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | lewḱ- | lynx |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | lewk- | bright; to shine; to see |