Where does “letterwise” come from?

letterwise (English) comes from English letter, from Middle English letter, from Old French letre, from Latin littera, from Latin lītera, from Old Latin leitera, from Proto-Indo-European h₂leyH-, from Proto-Indo-European leyh₂- — to die, disapear; to avoid, elude, decline,...

letterwise (English): In terms of letters of the alphabet

Definitions

  1. In terms of letters of the alphabet

Ancestry of “letterwise”, step by step

letterwise traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English letter

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishletterA symbol in an alphabet; A written or printed...
2Middle Englishletter
3Old Frenchletreletter
4Latinlitteraa letter of the alphabet; handwriting; letter,...
5Latinlītera
6Old Latinleitera
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂leyH-to smear
8Proto-Indo-Europeanleyh₂-to die, disapear; to avoid, elude, decline,...

via English wise

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwiseShowing good judgement or the benefit of...
2Middle Englishwyswise, thoughtful, proper; knowledgeable; alert,...
3Old Englishwīswise
4Proto-Germanicwīsazwise, knowledgeable
5Proto-Indo-Europeanweydstosknowledgeable
6Proto-Indo-Europeanweyd-to see
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leyh₂-Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂leyH-Every word from Old Latin leitera