Where does “saintly” come from?
Saintly comes from Middle English saintli, meaning of or befitting a saint.
saintly (English): Like or characteristic of a saint; befitting a...
Definitions
- Like or characteristic of a saint; befitting a...
Ancestry of “saintly”, step by step
saintly traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Saint
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Saint | A title given to a saint, often prefixed to the... |
| 2 | Middle English | saint | — |
| 3 | Old English | sanct | saint |
| 4 | Latin | sānctus | sacred, made inviolable, having been established as sacred |
| 5 | Latin | Iacobus | Jacob; James; Saint James |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | Ἰάκωβος | — |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | Ἰακώβ | Jacob |
| 8 | Hebrew | יַעֲקֹב | Jacob |
| 9 | Hebrew | עָקֵב | heel of the foot; heel |
via Middle English saintli
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | saintli | — |