masterly

masterly · adjective¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*méǵh₂s“big, great”
2. Latin · derived frommagister“teacher; master”
3. Old French · derived frommaistre“master”
4. Old English · derived frommæġester“master”
5. Middle English · inherited frommaisterli
6. English todaymasterly

PIE word *méǵh₂s From Middle English maisterli, from maister (“leader, ruler; high official; official in charge of a place; person in control; employer; owner; schoolmaster, teacher; scholar, sage; holder of a master's degree; religious teacher; master craftsman; expert; magician; social superior; husband; lover; Jesus Christ; a god; male stud animal”) + -li (suffix forming adjectives). Maister is derived from Old English mæġester (“master”) and Old French maistre (“master”) (modern French maître), both from Latin magister (“teacher; master”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s (“big, great”). The English word is analysable as master + -ly.

masterly · adverb²

1. Middle English · inherited frommaisterli“artistically; skilfully; in the manner of a conqueror or master; overconfidently”
2. English todaymasterly

From Middle English maisterli (“artistically; skilfully; in the manner of a conqueror or master; overconfidently”), from maister (see etymology 1) + -li (suffix forming adverbs); analysable as master + -ly (suffix forming adverbs).

Words from the same roots