Where does “presently” come from?
Presently derives from Middle English -ly, a suffix from Old English -līċ meaning "like" or "in the manner of," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₁ésmi meaning "to be."
presently (English): Immediately, at once; quickly; Before long; soon;...
Definitions
- Immediately, at once; quickly; Before long; soon;...
Ancestry of “presently”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | present | Relating to now, for the time being; current;... |
| 2 | Middle English | present | — |
| 3 | Old French | present | gift; present; present |
| 4 | Latin | praesēns | present, immediate, at hand, existing |
| 5 | Latin | praeesse | present active infinitive of praesum; be in front... |
| 6 | Latin | praesum | I am before something; I preside or rule over; I... |
| 7 | Latin | prae- | before; in front; in charge |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | prai- | pre-, before |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | preh₂- | before, in front |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |