Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “unlovably” come from?

unlovably (English) comes from English unlovable, from English lovable, from Middle English lovable, from Middle English loven, from Old English lofian, from Proto-Germanic *lobōn, from Proto-Germanic lubōną, from Proto-Indo-European lewbʰ- — to sound, resound, sing out; to leave.

unlovably (English): In an unlovable manner

Definitions

  1. In an unlovable manner

Ancestry of “unlovably”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishunlovableNot lovable
2EnglishlovableInspiring or deserving love or affection
3Middle Englishlovable—
4Middle Englishlovento love
5Old Englishlofianto praise; exalt; to appraise; value; put a price...
6Proto-Germanic*lobōn—
7Proto-Germaniclubōnąto praise
8Proto-Indo-Europeanlewbʰ-to desire, covet, want; to admire, praise; to...
9Proto-Indo-Europeanlēw-to sound, resound, sing out; to leave
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lēw- →