Where does “improbably” come from?
Improbably comes from Middle French improbable, from English probable, from Proto-Germanic -līkaz, from Latin in- and probare meaning "to assay or test," ultimately from Latin probus meaning "good or honest."
improbably (English): In an improbable manner; without probability
Definitions
- In an improbable manner; without probability
Ancestry of “improbably”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | -ly | Used to form adjectives from nouns, the... |
| 2 | English | grisly | Horrifyingly repellent; gruesome, terrifying;... |
| 3 | Middle English | grisely | — |
| 4 | Old English | grisliċ | grisly, horrible; dreadful, horrid |
| 5 | Old English | -līċ | suffix forming {{glossary|adjective}}s meaning... |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | *-līk | — |