Where does “neighbourly” come from?
Neighbourly derives from Middle English -ly and Old English -līċ, ultimately from Proto-Germanic nēhwagabūrô meaning "one dwelling nearby," combined with Proto-Germanic galīkaz and Proto-Indo-European līg- and ḱóm.
neighbourly (English): Showing the qualities of a friendly and helpful...
Definitions
- Showing the qualities of a friendly and helpful...
Ancestry of “neighbourly”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | neighbour | A person living on adjacent or nearby land; a... |
| 2 | Middle English | neighebor | neighbour; citizen |
| 3 | Old English | nēahġebūr | neighbour |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | nāhwagabūrō | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | nēhwagabūrô | neighbour |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | nēhwaz | near, close |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂nḗḱwos | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂neḱ- | to reach, to attain |