Where does “longingly” come from?
Longingly derives from Middle English -ly adverb suffix added to longing, from Old English lang meaning long combined with -ung and -līċ suffixes ultimately tracing to Proto-Indo-European līg- and ḱóm.
longingly (English): In a longing manner, with desire, yearningly
Definitions
- In a longing manner, with desire, yearningly
Ancestry of “longingly”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | -ly | Used to form adjectives from nouns, the... |
| 2 | English | grisly | Horrifyingly repellent; gruesome, terrifying;... |
| 3 | Middle English | grisely | — |
| 4 | Old English | grisliċ | grisly, horrible; dreadful, horrid |
| 5 | Old English | -līċ | suffix forming {{glossary|adjective}}s meaning... |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | *-līk | — |