Etymograph

English

generally

Generally comes from Middle English generally, equivalent to general + -ly.

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500generally1‘generally’
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1611generally1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English generally
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1611, The Holy Bible, London: […] Robert Barker: “I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto…”.

Lineage

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500generallyWiktionary, English generally‘generally’
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1611generallyWiktionary, English generally. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1611, The Holy Bible, London: […] Robert Barker: “I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto…”

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Today it means

adv Popularly or widely.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “generally”. 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 / Middle English generally / generally