Where does “graceful” come from?
graceful (Middle English) comes from Middle English grace, from Old French grace, from Latin grātia, from Latin -ia, from Latin -ius, from Proto-Italic -jōs, from Proto-Indo-European -yós — Creates adjectives from noun or verb stems.
graceful (Middle English): Giving grace; grace-inducing; nice, kindly
Definitions
- Giving grace; grace-inducing; nice, kindly
Ancestry of “graceful”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | grace | Various theological meanings, usually as an... |
| 2 | Old French | grace | grace; favor; grace; gracefulness; elegance |
| 3 | Latin | grātia | grace |
| 4 | Latin | -ia | Used to form a feminine abstract noun, usually... |
| 5 | Latin | -ius | forming adjectives from nouns; nominative neuter... |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | -jōs | Forms comparative adjectives |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -yós | Creates adjectives from noun or verb stems |