English
goodly
Goodly comes from Old English gōdlīċ ‘good, goodly’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *gʰedʰ- ‘to join’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰedʰ-‘to join’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*gadanąvṛd.reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*gōdaz‘good’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*gōdalīkaz‘good, goodly’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*gōdalīkreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150gōdlīċ‘good, goodly’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500goodly
- Englishearliest quotation 1596same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰedʰ-‘to join’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*gadanąvṛd.reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*gōdaz‘good’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*gōdalīkaz‘good, goodly’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*gōdalīkreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150gōdlīċ‘good, goodly’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500goodly
- Englishearliest quotation 1596same form
Earliest quotation: 1596, Edmund Spenser, Book VI, Canto IX: “Her goodly thighs, whoſe glory did appear, / Like…”
Formed from good + -ly
Proto-Indo-European *gʰedʰ- ‘to unite, be associated, suit’
Proto-Germanic *gōdaz ‘good’
Proto-West Germanic *gōd ‘good’
Old English gōd ‘good’
Middle English good
English good
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *gʰedʰ- ‘to join’
together, gather, gad, bettering, 4 more
through Proto-Germanic *gōdaz ‘good’
Today it means
adj Good; pleasing in appearance; attractive; comely; graceful; pleasant; desirable.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gʰedʰ- / goodly