inquiringly

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

English inquiring

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 inquiringly

From inquiring + -ly.

Adverb

inquiringly (comparative more inquiringly, superlative most inquiringly)

1. In an inquiring manner.
   • 1836 March – 1837 October, Charles Dickens, “A Short One—Showing among Other Matters, How Mr. Pickwick Undertook to Drive, and Mr. Winkle to Ride; and How They Both Did It”, in The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1837, →OCLC, page 50:

     "Ready?" said the old gentleman inquiringly, when his guests had been washed, mended, brushed, and brandied.