Where does “cordially” come from?
Cordially comes from English cordial plus the Middle English adverbial suffix -ly, from Old English -līċ and Proto-Germanic -līkaz, ultimately combining Latin cor (heart) and Proto-Indo-European ḱóm (together) with the sense of proceeding from the heart.
cordially (English): In a cordial, warm or friendly manner
Definitions
- In a cordial, warm or friendly manner
Ancestry of “cordially”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | cordial | Hearty; sincere; warm; affectionate; Radiating... |
| 2 | Middle English | cordial | — |
| 3 | Old French | cordial | — |
| 4 | Medieval Latin | cordialis | of the heart |
| 5 | Latin | cor | heart; soul, mind |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | kord | heart |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱḗr | heart |