Where does “gently” come from?
Gently comes from Middle English gentilliche, meaning in a noble or courteous manner.
gently (English): in a gentle manner
Definitions
- in a gentle manner
Ancestry of “gently”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | gentilly | Like a member of the gentry: in the manner of someone of gentle birth |
| 2 | Middle English | gentil | courteous, noble |
| 3 | Old French | gentil | noble; courteous; courtly |
| 4 | Latin | gentīlis | of or belonging to the same family or gēns: kinsman |
| 5 | Latin | -ilis | -ile |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | -elis | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -elis | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -lós | Forms agent nouns from verbal roots |