Where does “coldly” come from?
Coldly comes from Middle English -ly added to Old English -līċ, from Proto-Germanic -līkaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European gel- meaning cold and ḱóm meaning with or together.
coldly (English): in a cold or uncaring manner; indifferently
Definitions
- in a cold or uncaring manner; indifferently
Ancestry of “coldly”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | cold | Having a low temperature; Causing the air to be... |
| 2 | Middle English | cold | cold, cool; having a tendency to be cold;... |
| 3 | Old English | cald | Alternative form of ċeald |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | *kald | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | kaldaz | cold |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | kalaną | to be cold, to freeze |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵel- | to swallow; swallow |