Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “fleetly” come from?

fleetly (English) comes from English Fleet, from Middle English flete, from Old English flēot, from Frankish flotōn, from Proto-Germanic flutōną, from Proto-Indo-European plewd-, from Proto-Indo-European plew- — to fly, flow, run.

fleetly (English): In a fleet manner; swiftly

Definitions

  1. In a fleet manner; swiftly

Ancestry of “fleetly”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishFleet—
2Middle EnglishfleteA fleet; a collection or grouping of vessels; A...
3Old Englishflēotship; bay; fleet
4Frankishflotōnto float, swim
5Proto-Germanicflutōnąto float; drift
6Proto-Indo-Europeanplewd-to fly, flow, run
7Proto-Indo-Europeanplew-to fly, flow, run
Every word from Proto-Indo-European plew- →