English word origin

Etymology of inly

From Middle English inly, from Old English inlīc (“inner, inward”), equivalent to in + -ly.

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

adj

Inward; interior; secret.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English inly, from Old English inlīc (“inner, inward”), equivalent to in + -ly.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inherited-form mentioninlyenm
Inherited-form mentioninlīcang · inner, inward
Word-formation componentinen
Word-formation component-lyen

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "inly"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English inly"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "inlīc",
        "t": "inner, inward"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English inlīc (“inner, inward”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "af",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "in",
        "3": "-ly"
      },
      "expansion": "in + -ly"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "inly",
      "inly#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "inlīc",
      "inlic#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "in",
      "in#English"
    ],
    [
      "-ly",
      "-ly#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "adj",
      "glosses": [
        "Inward; interior; secret."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "obsolete"
      ],
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  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
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}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

adv

Inwardly, within; internally; secretly. · Heartily, completely, fully, thoroughly; extremely.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English inly, inliche, from Old English inlīċe (“inwardly”), equivalent to in + -ly.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inherited-form mentioninlyenm
Inherited-form mentioninlīċeang · inwardly
Word-formation componentinen
Word-formation component-lyen

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "inly"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English inly"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "inlīċe",
        "t": "inwardly"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English inlīċe (“inwardly”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "af",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "in",
        "3": "-ly"
      },
      "expansion": "in + -ly"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "inly",
      "inly#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "inliche",
      "inliche#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "inlīċe",
      "inlice#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "in",
      "in#English"
    ],
    [
      "-ly",
      "-ly#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "adv",
      "glosses": [
        "Inwardly, within; internally; secretly.",
        "Heartily, completely, fully, thoroughly; extremely."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "archaic",
        "obsolete"
      ],
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}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for inly →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-aW5seQ