Where does “monstrously” come from?
Monstrously derives from Middle English -ly attached to monstrous, which comes from Old English -līċ, ultimately from Latin monstrosus formed with the suffix -osus, rooted in Proto-Indo-European ḱóm.
monstrously (English): In a monstrous manner
Definitions
- In a monstrous manner
Ancestry of “monstrously”, 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 | — |