Where does “piteously” come from?
Piteously derives from Middle English -ly added to piteous, which comes from Old English -līċ, from Proto-Germanic -līkaz (meaning "like" or "resembling"), ultimately tracing to Proto-Indo-European ḱóm.
piteously (English): In a piteous manner; pathetically; plaintively
Definitions
- In a piteous manner; pathetically; plaintively
Ancestry of “piteously”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | -ly | Used to form adjectives from nouns, the... |
| 2 | English | grisly | Horrifyingly repellent; gruesome, terrifying;... |
| 3 | Middle English | grisely | — |
| 4 | Old English | grisliċ | grisly, horrible; dreadful, horrid |
| 5 | Old English | -līċ | suffix forming {{glossary|adjective}}s meaning... |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | *-līk | — |