Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “gingerliness” come from?

gingerliness (English) comes from English gingerly, from English -ly, from English grisly, from Middle English grisely, from Old English grisliċ, from Old English -līċ, from Proto-Germanic *-līk.

gingerliness (English): A gingerly state or attitude

Definitions

  1. A gingerly state or attitude

Ancestry of “gingerliness”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishgingerlyIn a delicate and cautious manner; Very careful...
2English-lyUsed to form adjectives from nouns, the...
3EnglishgrislyHorrifyingly repellent; gruesome, terrifying;...
4Middle Englishgrisely—
5Old Englishgrisliċgrisly, horrible; dreadful, horrid
6Old English-līċsuffix forming {{glossary|adjective}}s meaning...
7Proto-Germanic*-līk—
Every word from Proto-Germanic *-līk →