Where does “elegantly” come from?

Elegantly derives from English elegant, from Middle French elegant, from Latin elegans meaning "select" or "choice," from the past participle of eligo meaning "to pick out," from lego meaning "to gather" or "choose," with the prefix ex meaning "out."

elegantly (English): Gracefully, smoothly, and swiftly; with supreme...

Definitions

  1. Gracefully, smoothly, and swiftly; with supreme...

Ancestry of “elegantly”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishelegantCharacterised by or exhibiting elegance;...
2Middle Frenchelegantelegant
3Latinēlegānsfine, elegant, handsome
4Latinēligere
5Latinēligōto choose, to pluck or root out, extract
6Latinlegōto collect, gather, bring together, catch
7Latinlēxa proposition or motion for a law made to the people by a magistrate, a bill
8Proto-Italiclēg-
9Proto-Indo-Europeanleǵ-s
10Proto-Indo-Europeanleǵ-to gather, collect, with derivatives meaning to...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leǵ-Every word from Proto-Indo-European leǵ-sEvery word from Proto-Italic lēg-
elegantly — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer