Where does “surely” come from?
surely (Middle English) comes from Middle English sure, from Middle French sur, from Old French seür, from Latin super, from Latin eks-uper, from Proto-Indo-European upéri, from Proto-Indo-European upér, from Proto-Indo-European upó.
surely (Middle English): safely; totally, bindingly, without doubt; For...
Definitions
- safely; totally, bindingly, without doubt; For...
Ancestry of “surely”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | sure | safe, protected; fortified, well-defended,... |
| 2 | Middle French | sur | — |
| 3 | Old French | seür | Alternative form of seur; sure |
| 4 | Latin | super | "accusative" above, on the top of, upon;... |
| 5 | Latin | eks-uper | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | upéri | alternative reconstruction of *upér |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | upér | above; over |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | upó | under, below |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃ewp- | — |
Words derived from “surely”