Where does “half-wittedly” come from?
half-wittedly (English) comes from English half-witted, from English half-, from Middle English half-, from Old English healf-, from Old English healf, from Proto-Germanic *halb, from Proto-Germanic halbaz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kelH- — to bend, crook; bent, crooked; leg, heel, knee,...
half-wittedly (English): In a half-witted manner
Definitions
- In a half-witted manner
Ancestry of “half-wittedly”, step by step
half-wittedly traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English half-witted
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | half-witted | Having a low intelligence; dim-witted |
| 2 | English | half- | half or partial; not complete; Used before... |
| 3 | Middle English | half- | — |
| 4 | Old English | healf- | half |
| 5 | Old English | healf | side; half; partly |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | *halb | — |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | halbaz | half |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kelH- | to cut; to split, to separate |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kel- | to bend, crook; bent, crooked; leg, heel, knee,... |