English
acceptably
Acceptably comes from Middle English acceptably, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *kap-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kap-1root named by Wiktionary · steps between not traced
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500acceptably1
- Englishearliest quotation 2007acceptably1
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
- 1 Wiktionary, English acceptably
- Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 2007, Review: Jones, Coens, Penn highlight Toronto: “Ellen Page gives a star-making performance as a 16-year-old…”.
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kap-Wiktionary, English acceptablyroot named by Wiktionary · steps between not traced
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500acceptablyWiktionary, English acceptably
- Englishearliest quotation 2007acceptablyWiktionary, English acceptably. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 2007, Review: Jones, Coens, Penn highlight Toronto: “Ellen Page gives a star-making performance as a 16-year-old…”
Formed from acceptable + -ly
Proto-Indo-European *kap-
…
Latin acceptō
Late Latin acceptābilis ‘worthy of acceptance’
Middle French acceptable
Middle English acceptable ‘Pleasant, agreeable’
English acceptable
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *kap-
had, case, head, heavy, cash, catch, capital, behavior, receive, escape, captain, capacity, except, chapter, chase, achieve, heavily, cape, capable, capture, chef, recipe, cable, cattle, haven, occupation, chapel, behave, capitol, cabin, recipient, hawk, reception, perception, anticipation, anticipate, capsule, capita, caption, cater, 176 more
Today it means
adv In an acceptable manner; in a manner to please or give satisfaction.
Sources
Sources: Wiktionary, “acceptably”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *kap- / acceptably