Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “nervously” come from?

Nervously derives from Middle English -ly, Old English -līċ, Proto-Germanic -līkaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ḱóm meaning "with" or "together," combined with Proto-Indo-European līg- meaning "to lie."

nervously (English): In a nervous manner; feeling or displaying...

Definitions

  1. In a nervous manner; feeling or displaying...

Ancestry of “nervously”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1English-lyUsed to form adjectives from nouns, the...
2EnglishgrislyHorrifyingly repellent; gruesome, terrifying;...
3Middle Englishgrisely—
4Old Englishgrisliċgrisly, horrible; dreadful, horrid
5Old English-līċsuffix forming {{glossary|adjective}}s meaning...
6Proto-Germanic*-līk—
Every word from Proto-Germanic *-līk →