Where does “pennilessly” come from?

pennilessly (English) comes from English penniless, from Middle English penyles, from Middle English penny.

pennilessly (English): With no money

Definitions

  1. With no money

Ancestry of “pennilessly”, step by step

pennilessly traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English penniless

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpennilessLacking even the smallest amount of money
2Middle Englishpenyles—
3Middle Englishpenny—

via English ly

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlyAbbreviation of light-year
2VietnameselyAlternative spelling of li
Every word from Middle English penny →Every word from Middle English penyles →Every word from English penniless →