Where does “-lic” come from?

-lic (Middle English) comes from Middle English -liche, from Old English -līc, from Proto-Germanic -līkaz, from Proto-Germanic līką, from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ- — to bind, tie.

-lic (Middle English): Alternative form of -liche

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of -liche

Ancestry of “-lic”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle English-licheUsed to form adjectives from nouns, the...
2Old English-līcadjective-forming suffix meaning 'like' or 'relating to
3Proto-Germanic-līkaz-like, -ly
4Proto-Germaniclīkąbody; corpse, dead body; leech-line, bolt-rope
5Proto-Indo-Europeanleyǵ-to bind, tie
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic līką →Every word from Proto-Germanic -līkaz →