Where does “shortly” come from?

shortly (Middle English) comes from Old English sċortlīċ, from Old English sċort, from Proto-West Germanic skurt, from Proto-Germanic skurtaz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ḱer- — dung, manure, filth; manure, dung, filth.

shortly (Middle English): lasting a short time; transitory; brief; concise;...

Definitions

  1. lasting a short time; transitory; brief; concise;...

Ancestry of “shortly”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishsċortlīċshort, not lasting
2Old Englishsċortshort
3Proto-West Germanicskurtshort; lacking, deficient
4Proto-Germanicskurtazshort; lacking, deficient
5Proto-Indo-European(s)ḱer-dung, manure, filth; manure, dung, filth
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)ḱer- →Every word from Proto-Germanic skurtaz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic skurt →