Where does “preferentially” come from?
Preferentially derives from English preferential plus the Middle English adverbial suffix -ly, from Old English -līċ meaning "like" or "having the form of," from Proto-Germanic -līkaz, ultimately tracing to Proto-Indo-European roots for "like" and "together."
preferentially (English): in a preferential manner; advantageously
Definitions
- in a preferential manner; advantageously
Ancestry of “preferentially”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | preferential | Of or relating to the showing or giving of... |
| 2 | French | préférentiel | preferential (related to preference) |
| 3 | French | -iel | Suffix used to form adjectives. Compare with... |
| 4 | French | -el | To make an adjectival form of a noun; -al |
| 5 | Old French | -el | Suffix that usually denotes a masculine noun |
| 6 | Latin | -ellus | Alternative form of -ulus; "forming masculine... |
| 7 | Latin | -ulus | Used to form a diminutive of a noun, indicating... |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | -olos | — |
| 9 | Proto-Italic | -elos | Forms desubstantival and deadjectival diminutive nouns |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | -e-lós | — |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | -lós | Forms agent nouns from verbal roots |