Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “strangely” come from?

Strangely derives from Middle English -ly added to strange, which comes from Old English -līċ, ultimately from Latin extraneus meaning "external," itself from Latin extra meaning "outside."

strangely (English): In a strange or coincidental manner;...

Definitions

  1. In a strange or coincidental manner;...

Ancestry of “strangely”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishstraungely—
2Middle English-lyAlternative form of -liche
3Old English-līċsuffix forming {{glossary|adjective}}s meaning...
4Proto-Germanic*-līk—
Every word from Proto-Germanic *-līk →