Where does “coyly” come from?
Coyly derives from English coy, from Old English -līċ, from Old French compaignie, from Latin quietus meaning calm or at rest, combined with the Latin suffix -ia.
coyly (English): In a coy manner
Definitions
- In a coy manner
Ancestry of “coyly”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | coy | Bashful, shy, retiring; Quiet, reserved, modest;... |
| 2 | Middle English | coy | — |
| 3 | Old French | coi | — |
| 4 | Old French | quei | quiet, still |
| 5 | Latin | quiētus | at rest/nap, quiet, keeping quiet, quietude, quietness |
| 6 | Latin | quiēscō | to rest, sleep, repose |
| 7 | Latin | quiēs | the rest of sleep, repose |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | kʷiētis | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷyéh₁tis | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷyeh₁- | to rest; rest, peace |