Where does “mostly” come from?
Mostly derives from English most, from Old English -līċ, from Proto-Germanic maist and mikilaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European med- meaning "middle" and ḱóm meaning "with."
mostly (English): Mainly or chiefly; for the most part; usually,...
Definitions
- Mainly or chiefly; for the most part; usually,...
Ancestry of “mostly”, 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 | — |
Words derived from “mostly”