Where does “oddly” come from?
Oddly comes from Middle English -ly (adverbial suffix) added to Middle English odly, from Old English -līċ (suffix meaning "like" or "of the nature of"), modifying Old Norse oddr (point or edge), from Proto-Germanic uzdaz, from Proto-Indo-European dʰeh₁-.
oddly (English): In a peculiar manner; strangely; unusually; In a...
Definitions
- In a peculiar manner; strangely; unusually; In a...
Ancestry of “oddly”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | oddely | Alternative form of odly |
| 2 | Middle English | odde | inflection of od:
## weak singular
## strong/weak... |
| 3 | Old Norse | oddi | odd, third or additional number; triangle |
| 4 | Old Norse | -i | — |
| 5 | Latin | -ē | — |
| 6 | Latin | dis- | asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;... |
| 7 | Latin | calceus | shoe |
| 8 | Latin | calx | limestone; chalk; the finish line |
| 9 | Ancient Greek | χάλιξ | small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble |