Where does “fervently” come from?
Fervently derives from Middle English -ly added to Old English -līċ, which developed from Latin fervens, the present participle of fervere meaning to boil or burn, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰer-.
fervently (English): In a fervent manner
Ancestry of “fervently”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | fervent | — |
| 2 | Old French | fervent | — |
| 3 | Latin | fervens | hot; burning, raging, fiery; boiling |
| 4 | Latin | ferveō | — |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | ferweō | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰrewh₁- | to boil; to brew |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰer- | to bear, carry |