Where does “thoroughly” come from?
Thoroughly derives from English thorough combined with Middle English -ly, Old English -līċ, Proto-Germanic -līkaz, and Proto-Indo-European roots terh₂-, līg-, and ḱóm, ultimately expressing completeness through combined form and manner.
thoroughly (English): In a thorough or complete manner
Definitions
- In a thorough or complete manner
Ancestry of “thoroughly”, 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 | — |