Where does “nobly” come from?
Nobly derives from Middle English -ly, an adverbial suffix applied to noble, which comes from Latin nobilis, meaning known or famous, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ǵneh₃- meaning to know, combined with Proto-Indo-European ḱóm meaning with or together.
nobly (English): In a noble manner
Definitions
- In a noble manner
Ancestry of “nobly”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | noble | An aristocrat; one of aristocratic blood; A... |
| 2 | Old French | noble | noble; upper-class; well-bred |
| 3 | Latin | nōbilis | noble, high-born |
| 4 | Latin | -bilis | -ble |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | -ðlis | Forms adjectives from verb stems indicating capacity or worth of being acted on |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -dʰlis | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -dʰlom | Alternative form of *-trom; instrumental suffix;... |