Where does “shrewdly” come from?
Shrewdly is an English adverb derived from shrewd, which developed in Middle English through the -ly adverbial suffix attached to an Old English adjective form, ultimately tracing to Proto-Germanic -līkaz meaning "like" or "having the form of."
shrewdly (English): In a shrewd manner
Definitions
- In a shrewd manner
Ancestry of “shrewdly”, 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 | — |