Where does “elfishly” come from?

elfishly (English) comes from English elfish, from English elf, from Middle English elf, from Old English ielf, from Proto-West Germanic albi, from Proto-Germanic albī, from Latin Albis, from Latin Albeus.

elfishly (English): In an elfish manner; mischievously

Definitions

  1. In an elfish manner; mischievously

Ancestry of “elfishly”, step by step

elfishly traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English elfish

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishelfishCharacteristic of an elf; elfin, elven;...
2EnglishelfA luminous spirit presiding over nature and...
3Middle Englishelfelf, fairy; spirit, shade
4Old Englishielfelf
5Proto-West Germanicalbielf, fairy
6Proto-Germanicalbīriver
7LatinAlbis—
8LatinAlbeus—

via English ly

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlyAbbreviation of light-year
2VietnameselyAlternative spelling of li
Every word from Latin Albeus →