Where does “individually” come from?
Individually derives from Middle English -ly adverbial suffix added to individual, from Latin individuum (indivisible thing), from Latin individuus (indivisible), from Latin in- (not) and dividuus (divisible).
individually (English): As individuals, separately, independently
Definitions
- As individuals, separately, independently
Ancestry of “individually”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | individual | A person considered alone, rather than as... |
| 2 | Medieval Latin | individualis | — |
| 3 | Latin | indīviduum | atom |
| 4 | Latin | indīviduus | not divided, indivisible |
| 5 | Latin | dīviduus | divisible |
| 6 | Latin | dīvidō | to divide, separate |
| 7 | Latin | dis- | asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;... |
| 8 | Latin | calceus | shoe |
| 9 | Latin | calx | limestone; chalk; the finish line |
| 10 | Ancient Greek | χάλιξ | small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble |