Where does “hugely” come from?

Hugely comes from Middle English hugely, of uncertain origin and meaning.

hugely (English): greatly; to a huge extent

Definitions

  1. greatly; to a huge extent

Ancestry of “hugely”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishhugelyhugely; to a huge size, degree, or extent
2Middle Englishhugehuge, large, enormous; great, severe, excessive,...
3Old Frenchahugehuge; very large
4Frankishhaughill
5Proto-Germanichaugazheight; hill
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱewk-flare up, glow; white; to glow, burn, lighten
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱewk-