despondingly

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

English desponding

Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der.

Proto-Germanic *līkąder.

Proto-Germanic *-līkaz

Proto-Germanic *-ê

Proto-Germanic *-līkê

Proto-West Germanic *-līkē

Old English -līċe

Middle English -ly

English -ly

English despondingly

From desponding + -ly.

Adverb

despondingly (comparative more despondingly, superlative most despondingly)

1. In a desponding manner.
   • 1862, Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Lady Audley's Secret:

     "But you cannot tell where she went on leaving here?" Robert asked, despondingly.