Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “sulkily” come from?

Sulkily derives from English sulky, which comes from English sulk, ultimately from Latin sulcus meaning "furrow" or "groove," with the adverbial suffix -ly added to the adjective form.

sulkily (English): In a sulking manner

Definitions

  1. In a sulking manner

Ancestry of “sulkily”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishsulkysilent and withdrawn after being upset; A low...
2EnglishsulkA state of sulking; to express ill humor or...
3Middle Englishsulke—
4Old Englishāsolcennysidleness; slothfulness; sluggishness; laziness
5Old Englishāsolcensulky, languid
6Old Englishāseolcanbe slow; be weak or slothful; languish
7Old Englishā-a-; away, out
8Old Englishar-—
9Proto-West Germanicuʀ-out, over; off, away
10Proto-Germanicuz-up, out
11Proto-Indo-Europeanuss-—
12Proto-Indo-Europeanuds-up, out
13Proto-Indo-Europeanúdout, outward
Every word from Proto-Indo-European úd →