Where does “lawfully” come from?
Lawfully derives from Middle English lawfully, composed of Middle English law plus the adverbial suffix -ly, ultimately from Old Norse lǫg meaning "law" and Proto-Indo-European roots relating to laying or placing.
lawfully (English): Conforming to the law; legally
Definitions
- Conforming to the law; legally
Ancestry of “lawfully”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | lawefully | lawfully; in a way allowed by the law or legal system |
| 2 | Middle English | laweful | Lawful; allowed by the law or legal system;... |
| 3 | Middle English | lawe | A law, regulation, or a group of them; Morality,... |
| 4 | Old English | lagu | sea, water, lake; the runic character ᛚ; law,... |
| 5 | Old Norse | lǫg | fate; situation, the condition that one is given... |
| 6 | Old Norse | lág | a felled tree; log; lying tree |
| 7 | Old Norse | leggja | to lay, place, put; to make, build |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | lagjaną | to lay, to place in a resting position |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | legʰ- | to lie |