Where does “painfully” come from?
Painfully comes from Middle English peinfully, derived from Old French peineus and Latin poena meaning "punishment" or "pain."
painfully (English): In a painful manner; as if in pain; Badly; poorly
Definitions
- In a painful manner; as if in pain; Badly; poorly
Ancestry of “painfully”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | peinfully | — |