Where does “surly” come from?
surly (Middle English) comes from Middle English surely, 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.
surly (Middle English): Alternative form of surely
Definitions
- Alternative form of surely
Ancestry of “surly”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | surely | safely; totally, bindingly, without doubt; For... |
| 2 | Middle English | sure | safe, protected; fortified, well-defended,... |
| 3 | Middle French | sur | — |
| 4 | Old French | seür | Alternative form of seur; sure |
| 5 | Latin | super | "accusative" above, on the top of, upon;... |
| 6 | Latin | eks-uper | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | upéri | alternative reconstruction of *upér |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | upér | above; over |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | upó | under, below |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃ewp- | — |