English

idly

Idly comes from Old English īdellīċe ‘without cause’, from īdel ‘empty, void’, and ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *īdl.

Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*īdl‘void, empty, ineffective’reconstructed
Old Englishc. 450–1150īdel‘empty, void’
Old English, derivedc. 450–1150īdellīċe‘without cause’
Middle Englishc. 1150–1500idely
Englishtodayidly

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*īdl‘void, empty, ineffective’reconstructed
Old Englishc. 450–1150īdel‘empty, void’
Old English, derivedc. 450–1150īdellīċe‘without cause’
Middle Englishc. 1150–1500idely
Englishtodayidly

Formed from idle + -ly

Proto-Germanic *īdlaz

Proto-West Germanic *īdl ‘void, empty, ineffective’

Old English īdel ‘empty, void’

Middle English idel

English idle

Linked words

through Proto-West Germanic *īdl ‘void, empty, ineffective’

idleness, 3 more

through Old English īdel ‘empty, void’

Another origin of idly

Tamilmodernஇட்லிiṭli‘idli’
Englishtodayidly

Today it means

adv Without specific purpose, intent or effort.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-West Germanic *īdl / idly

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