Where does “overly” come from?
Overly comes from Middle English -ly added to Old English ofer, which derives from Proto-Germanic *-līkaz (meaning "body" or "form") and upér (meaning "over"), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots ḱóm and līg-.
overly (English): To an excessive degree; Superficially;...
Definitions
- To an excessive degree; Superficially;...
Ancestry of “overly”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | over | Discontinued; ended or concluded; Thoroughly;... |
| 2 | Middle English | over | riverbank, seashore, brink |
| 3 | Old English | ōfer | riverbank, seashore, brink, edge, margin, border |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | obar | over, above |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | uber | over; over, above |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | upér | above; over |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | upó | under, below |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃ewp- | — |