Where does “dorsally” come from?
Dorsally derives from English dorsal plus the Middle English adverbial suffix -ly, from Old English -līċ meaning "like," ultimately from Latin dorsum meaning "back" and Proto-Germanic galīkaz meaning "like."
dorsally (English): Towards the dorsal side
Definitions
- Towards the dorsal side
Ancestry of “dorsally”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | -ly | Used to form adjectives from nouns, the... |
| 2 | English | grisly | Horrifyingly repellent; gruesome, terrifying;... |
| 3 | Middle English | grisely | — |
| 4 | Old English | grisliċ | grisly, horrible; dreadful, horrid |
| 5 | Old English | -līċ | suffix forming {{glossary|adjective}}s meaning... |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | *-līk | — |