-lice

See also: lice and líce

Middle English

Etymology 1

Suffix

-lice

1. (Early Middle English) Alternative form of -ly (“adjectival suffix”)

Etymology 2

Suffix

-lice

1. (Early Middle English) Alternative form of -ly (“adverbial suffix”)

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *-līkê, equivalent to -līċ (adjectival suffix) + -e (adverbial suffix). Compare Old Norse -liga.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈliː.t͡ʃe/

Suffix

-līċe

1. -ly (adverbial suffix)

Derived terms

Old English terms suffixed with -lice

Descendants

• Middle English: -lice, -liche, -li, -ly
  • English: -ly
  • Scots: -lie, -ly