Where does “knowingly” come from?

Knowingly derives from English know, from Middle English knowen, from Old English cnāwan meaning "to perceive or understand," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ǵneh₃- meaning "to know."

knowingly (English): In the manner of one who knows; With knowledge of...

Definitions

  1. In the manner of one who knows; With knowledge of...

Ancestry of “knowingly”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishknowingPossessing knowledge or understanding;...
2English-ingUsed to form gerunds, a type of verbal nouns,...
3Old English-ingForming nouns from verbs, indicating action,...
4Old English-tūnhomestead, village, town
5Old Englishtūnenclosure, yard; place; dwelling
6Proto-West Germanictūnfence
7Proto-Germanictūnąfence; enclosure
8Gaulishdunumfort; hill, hillfort
9Proto-Celticdūnomstronghold, rampart
10Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewh₂-smoke; mist, haze
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂-Every word from Proto-Celtic dūnomEvery word from English -ing