Where does “homely” come from?
Homely derives from Middle English hoomly, from Old English hāmlīc, from Proto-Germanic haimalīkaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European kōim- meaning "home" and līg- meaning "like."
homely (English): Characteristic of, belonging to, or befitting a...
Definitions
- Characteristic of, belonging to, or befitting a...
Ancestry of “homely”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | homly | familiarly, in a way denoting a close... |
| 2 | Middle English | home | Alternative form of hom; Alternative form of... |
| 3 | Middle English | whom | (to) who, whom accusative or dative |
| 4 | Old English | hwām | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | hwammai | masculine/neuter dative of *hwaz |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | hwaz | who, what; whose; whom |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷos | See *kʷis |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷ- | The primary interrogative root |