Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “indiscreetly” come from?

Indiscreetly is the adverbial form of indiscreet, from English discreet with the Latin prefix in- (not), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ne (not) and oyd- (to see), via Latin dis-.

indiscreetly (English): In an indiscreet manner

Definitions

  1. In an indiscreet manner

Ancestry of “indiscreetly”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishindiscreetNot discreet; lacking in discretion
2EnglishdiscreetRespectful of privacy or secrecy; exercising...
3Middle Englishdiscrete—
4Old Frenchdiscretdifferent
5Latindiscrētus—
6Latindiscernō—
7Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
8Latincalceusshoe
9Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
10Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →