Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “illicitly” come from?

Illicitly comes from English illicit, from French illicite, from Latin illicitus, combining the prefix in- (from Latin in, from Proto-Indo-European ne) with a root from Proto-Indo-European ḱóm.

illicitly (English): In an illicit manner; illegally, immorally or...

Definitions

  1. In an illicit manner; illegally, immorally or...

Ancestry of “illicitly”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishillicitNot approved by law, but not invalid; Breaking...
2Frenchilliciteillicit
3Latinillicitusforbidden, unlawful, illegal, illicit
4Latinīn-—
5Latinîn—
6Latinenlookǃ beholdǃ; reallyǃ?; come onǃ
7Proto-Italicenin
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁énin
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁én →