Where does “violently” come from?
Violently derives from Middle English violently, formed with the Middle English adverb-forming suffix -ly from Old English -līċ, ultimately from Latin violentus meaning forceful, itself from Latin vis meaning force or power, tracing to Proto-Indo-European weyh₁-.
violently (English): In a violent manner; To an intense degree;...
Definitions
- In a violent manner; To an intense degree;...
Ancestry of “violently”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | violently | Violently, in a violent or harmful way; In a... |
| 2 | Middle English | violent | Violent, forcible, injury-causing; Potent,... |
| 3 | Old French | violent | violent using violence |
| 4 | Latin | violentus | forcible, violent, vehement; impetuous;... |
| 5 | Latin | -entus | adjective-forming suffix meaning abounding in,... |
| 6 | Latin | cruentus | bloody in its various senses, "particularly:" |
| 7 | Latin | cruor | blood, gore; murder, bloodshed |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | krewh₂- | blood outside the body |