Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “lovelily” come from?

lovelily (English) comes from Middle English loveli, from Old English luflīċ, from Proto-Germanic leubalīkaz, from Proto-Germanic leubaz, from Proto-Indo-European lewbʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European lēw- — to sound, resound, sing out; to leave.

lovelily (English): In a lovely way; amiably; in a manner to excite...

Definitions

  1. In a lovely way; amiably; in a manner to excite...

Ancestry of “lovelily”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishloveli—
2Old Englishluflīċ—
3Proto-Germanicleubalīkazlovely
4Proto-Germanicleubazdear, beloved
5Proto-Indo-Europeanlewbʰ-to desire, covet, want; to admire, praise; to...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanlēw-to sound, resound, sing out; to leave
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lēw- →