Where does “preeminently” come from?
Preeminently derives from Middle English -ly, Old English -līċ, Proto-Germanic -līkaz, and ultimately Proto-Indo-European līg- and ḱóm, tracing the adverbial suffix that marks superiority or distinction in manner or degree.
preeminently (English): In a preeminent manner
Definitions
- In a preeminent manner
Ancestry of “preeminently”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | preeminent | Exceeding others in quality or rank; of... |
| 2 | Latin | praeēminēns | — |
| 3 | Latin | praeemineo | I project forward; I am prominent; I surpass,... |
| 4 | Latin | prae- | before; in front; in charge |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | prai- | pre-, before |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | preh₂- | before, in front |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |