Where does “involuntarily” come from?
Involuntarily derives from English involuntary, Old English -līċ (resembling, like), Latin in- (not), Latin in (in), Latin -arius (pertaining to), Proto-Indo-European oyd- (possess), and Proto-Indo-European ḱóm (together).
involuntarily (English): In an involuntary manner; done without conscious...
Definitions
- In an involuntary manner; done without conscious...
Ancestry of “involuntarily”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | involuntary | Without intention; unintentional; Not voluntary... |
| 2 | English | voluntary | Done, given, or acting of one's own free will;... |
| 3 | Middle English | voluntarie | — |
| 4 | Old French | volontaire | — |
| 5 | Latin | voluntārius | volunteer |
| 6 | Latin | voluntās | will, free will, choice |
| 7 | Latin | velle | present active infinitive of volō; wish, intend;... |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | welō | to want, will |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | welh₁- | to choose; to want |