Where does “intently” come from?
Intently comes from Middle English -ly suffixed to intent, which derives from Old English -līċ, Proto-Germanic -līkaz, and ultimately Proto-Indo-European roots meaning "body" or "form" combined with "together."
intently (English): In an intent or focused manner
Definitions
- In an intent or focused manner
Ancestry of “intently”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | intent | A purpose; something that is intended; The state... |
| 2 | Old French | entent | — |
| 3 | Latin | intentus | mindful, attentive; intent on; serious, earnest |
| 4 | Latin | intendo | I stretch out; I strain; I turn my attention to,... |
| 5 | Latin | in- | un-, non-, not; in, within, inside |
| 6 | Latin | in | in, at, on, upon, from; within, while in; into,... |
| 7 | Old Latin | en | in |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | en | in |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁én | in |