Where does “dreadfully” come from?
Dreadfully comes from Middle English dradefullich, meaning to inspire fear or terror in a manner that is dreadful.
dreadfully (English): In a dreadful manner; Exceptionally, eminently,...
Definitions
- In a dreadful manner; Exceptionally, eminently,...
Ancestry of “dreadfully”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | dredfully | — |
| 2 | Middle English | dredful | — |
| 3 | Middle English | dred | — |
| 4 | Middle English | dreden | — |
| 5 | Old English | drǣdan | to fear, dread |
| 6 | Old English | ondrǣdan | to fear, dread |
| 7 | Proto-West Germanic | andarādan | to be afraid, fear; to be in awe |
| 8 | Proto-West Germanic | anda- | against, opposing; in return, back; facing,... |
| 9 | Proto-Germanic | anda- | against, opposing; un-, de- |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énti | opposite; near; in front |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énts | forehead; front |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ent- | face; forehead; front |
| 13 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂en- | on, onto |