English
gainly
Gainly comes from Middle English gaynly ‘hastily, imminently’, from gayn ‘direct, fast, good, helpful’, and ultimately from Proto-Germanic *gagin.
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*gagin‘towards, in the direction of’reconstructed
- Old Norsec. 800–1350gegn
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500gayn‘direct, fast, good, helpful’
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500gaynly‘hastily, imminently’
- Englishtodaygainly
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*gagin‘towards, in the direction of’reconstructed
- Old Norsec. 800–1350gegn
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500gayn‘direct, fast, good, helpful’
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500gaynly‘hastily, imminently’
- Englishtodaygainly
Formed from gain ‘straight, direct, convenient, favourable, kindly’ + -ly
Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm ‘next to’
…
Proto-Germanic *gagana ‘back’
Proto-Germanic *gagną
Old Norse gagn ‘benefit’
Middle English gayn ‘profit’
English gain
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰengʰ- ‘to walk, step’
jay, camino, doppelganger, ging, 10 more
through Proto-Germanic *ganganą ‘to go, walk, step’
Today it means
adv Suitably; fitly; conveniently; readily.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Germanic *gagin / gainly