Where does “thickly” come from?
Thickly derives from Middle English thikly, formed by combining the adjective thik with the adverbial suffix -ly, which comes from Old English -līċ, ultimately from Proto-Germanic þekuz and Proto-Indo-European teg-, meaning to cover or be dense.
thickly (English): In a thick manner
Ancestry of “thickly”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | thick | Relatively great in extent from one surface to... |
| 2 | Middle English | thikke | Alternative form of thicke |
| 3 | Old English | þicce | thick |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | þikkwī | thick |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | þekuz | thick |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | tégus | thick |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | teg- | — |