English
gradely
Gradely comes from Proto-Indo-European *h₂er- ‘to fit, to fix, to put together, to slot’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂er-‘to fit, to fix, to put together, to slot’root as named · steps between not traced
- Old Norsec. 800–1350greiðligr
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500graythely
- Englishearliest quotation 1863gradely
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂er-‘to fit, to fix, to put together, to slot’root as named · steps between not traced
- Old Norsec. 800–1350greiðligr
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500graythely
- Englishearliest quotation 1863gradely
Earliest quotation: 1863, Charles Kingsley, The Water-Babies: “This is a hard road for a gradely foot…”
Formed from graith + -ly
Proto-Germanic *garaidaz ‘ready, prepared’
Proto-Germanic *garaidijaną ‘to prepare, put in order’
Old Norse greiða ‘to make ready, prepare, arrange, disentangle’
Middle English graithen
English graith
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂er- ‘to fit, to fix, to put together, to slot’
reason, art, order, article, army, ready, rate, artist, arm, ordinary, alarm, ratio, harmony, armor, coordination, coordinate, arthritis, articulate, anarchy, subordinate, ordination, arithmetic, harmonic, ornament, artisan, ornate, inertia, harmonious, articulation, inert, aristocratic, armament, ordinate, ordinator, adorn, harmonize, ordinal, rta, artifice, armature, 80 more
Another origin of gradely
- Old Norsec. 800–1350greiðliga
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500graythely
- Englishtodaygradely
Today it means
adj decent, well-meaning, respectable
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂er- / gradely