Where does “underhandly” come from?

underhandly (English) comes from English underhand, from English Hand, from Middle English hond, from Old English hand, from Proto-West Germanic handu, from Swedish hand, from Old Swedish hand, from Old Norse hǫnd — hand.

underhandly (English): In an underhand manner

Definitions

  1. In an underhand manner

Ancestry of “underhandly”, step by step

underhandly traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English underhand

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishunderhandsecret; clandestine; dishonest and sneaky; done...
2EnglishHandThe part of the forelimb below the forearm or wrist in a human, and the corresponding part in many other animals
3Middle Englishhondhand; Alternative form of hound
4Old EnglishhandA hand
5Proto-West Germanichanduhand
6SwedishhandA hand; A hand; the set of cards held by a player
7Old SwedishhandA hand; A direction; A behalf
8Old Norsehǫndhand
9Proto-Germanichanduzhand

via English ly

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlyAbbreviation of light-year
2VietnameselyAlternative spelling of li
Every word from Proto-Germanic handuz