Where does “viciously” come from?
Viciously comes from Middle English viciously, formed from Middle English -ly added to Latin vitiosus meaning "full of vice," which combines Latin -osus with a root from Proto-Indo-European.
viciously (English): In a vicious manner; ferociously or maliciously
Definitions
- In a vicious manner; ferociously or maliciously
Ancestry of “viciously”, step by step
viciously traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English vicious
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | vicious | Violent, destructive and cruel; Savage and... |
| 2 | English | -ly | Used to form adjectives from nouns, the... |
| 3 | English | grisly | Horrifyingly repellent; gruesome, terrifying;... |
| 4 | Middle English | grisely | — |
| 5 | Old English | grisliċ | grisly, horrible; dreadful, horrid |
| 6 | Old English | -līċ | suffix forming {{glossary|adjective}}s meaning... |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | *-līk | — |
via Middle English viciously
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | viciously | sinfully, evilly |