Etymology

meanly

M3E1A1N1L1Y4

Today it means: Humbly, of or from low social status; basely. Full definition →

First used 16th c.Middle English meneli
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The story

  1. Middle English · inherited frommeneli
  2. English todaymeanly

From Middle English meneli, meneliche, equivalent to mean + -ly.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 16th c. Humbly, of or from low social status; basely.
  • from 16th c. Poorly or inadequately.
  • from 17th c. In a mean manner; ill-willed, nastily.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.