Etymology

kindly

kind·ly
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Today it means: Having a kind personality; kind, warm-hearted, sympathetic. Full definition →

Middle English kyndely ← Old English cyndelīċ
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kindly · adjective1

  1. Old English · inherited fromcyndelīċ“natural, kindly”
  2. Middle English · inherited fromkyndely
  3. English todaykindly

From Middle English kyndely, kyndeliche, from Old English cyndelīċ (“natural, kindly”); equivalent to kind + -ly.

kindly · adverb2

  1. Old English · inherited fromġecyndelīċe
  2. Middle English · inherited fromkyndely
  3. English todaykindly

From Middle English kyndely, kyndly, kyndeliche, from Old English ġecyndelīċe, equivalent to kind + -ly.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.