Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “wonderfully” come from?

Wonderfully derives from Middle English -ly and Old English -līċ and -ful applied to Proto-Germanic wundrą, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European līg- and pleh₁-, roots meaning to fill.

wonderfully (English): In a wonderful manner; To an extent inspiring...

Definitions

  1. In a wonderful manner; To an extent inspiring...

Ancestry of “wonderfully”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishwonderful—
2Old Englishwundorfulwonderful, glorious
3Old English-fulfull of; -ful
4Proto-Germanic-fullaz-ful
5Proto-Germanicfullazfull; the whole, the entire
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpl̥h₁nósfull
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpleh₁-to fill
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pleh₁- →