Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “impulsively” come from?

Impulsively derives from Middle French impulsif, from Latin impulsivus, combining the Latin prefix in- (from Proto-Indo-European pelh₂-, meaning to drive or push) with the Latin suffix -ivus (from Proto-Indo-European -iHwós).

impulsively (English): In an impulsive manner; with force; by impulse

Definitions

  1. In an impulsive manner; with force; by impulse

Ancestry of “impulsively”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishimpulsiveHaving the power of driving or impelling; giving...
2Middle Frenchimpulsif—
3Latinimpulsivusimpulsive
4Latinimpulsuspushed, driven, assailed, having been pushed or...
5Latinimpellō—
6Latinīn-—
7Latinîn—
8Latinenlookǃ beholdǃ; reallyǃ?; come onǃ
9Proto-Italicenin
10Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁énin
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁én →