Where does “levely” come from?
levely (Middle English) comes from Old English lēoflīċe, from Old English lēoflīċ, from Old English lēof, from West Germanic *leub, from Proto-Germanic leubaz, from Proto-Indo-European lewbʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European lēw- — to sound, resound, sing out; to leave.
Ancestry of “levely”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | lēoflīċe | graciously, kindly, lovingly |
| 2 | Old English | lēoflīċ | worthy of love: lovely, lovable |
| 3 | Old English | lēof | lief, dear |
| 4 | West Germanic | *leub | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | leubaz | dear, beloved |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | lewbʰ- | to desire, covet, want; to admire, praise; to... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | lēw- | to sound, resound, sing out; to leave |