Where does “cruelly” come from?

Cruelly derives from Middle English cruelly, formed from the adjective cruel and the Middle English adverbial suffix -ly, which descends from Old English -līċ, ultimately from Proto-Germanic -līkaz meaning "like" and Latin crudus meaning "raw."

cruelly (English): In a cruel manner

Definitions

  1. In a cruel manner

Ancestry of “cruelly”, step by step

cruelly traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English cruel

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcruelIntentionally causing or reveling in pain and...
2Frenchcruelcruel; hard, painful
3Spanishcruelcruel
4Latincrūdēlisunfeeling, rude
5Latincrūdusraw, bloody, bleeding
6Proto-Indo-Europeankrewh₂-blood outside the body

via Middle English cruelly

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishcruellyRuthlessly, cruelly; in a cruel or sadistic way;...
2Middle English-lyAlternative form of -liche
3Old English-līċsuffix forming {{glossary|adjective}}s meaning...
4Proto-Germanic*-līk—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European krewh₂- →Every word from Latin crūdus →Every word from Latin crūdēlis →