Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “willingly” come from?

Willingly derives from Middle English wyllyngly, from Old English willendlīċe, formed from the adjective meaning "willing" with an adverbial suffix.

willingly (English): Of one’s own free will; freely and spontaneously

Definitions

  1. Of one’s own free will; freely and spontaneously

Ancestry of “willingly”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishwillyngly—
2Old Englishwillendlīċediligently
Every word from Old English willendlīċe →