Where does “fourthly” come from?
Fourthly comes from Middle English -ly added to Old English -līċ, from Proto-Germanic -līkaz and fedurþô, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European kʷetwṓr meaning "four."
fourthly (English): In the fourth place; fourth in a row
Definitions
- In the fourth place; fourth in a row
Ancestry of “fourthly”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | -ly | Used to form adjectives from nouns, the... |
| 2 | English | grisly | Horrifyingly repellent; gruesome, terrifying;... |
| 3 | Middle English | grisely | — |
| 4 | Old English | grisliċ | grisly, horrible; dreadful, horrid |
| 5 | Old English | -līċ | suffix forming {{glossary|adjective}}s meaning... |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | *-līk | — |