Etymograph

English

probably

Probably comes from Middle English probably.

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500probably1
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1651probably1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English probably
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1651, Jeremy Taylor, Of Christian Justice: “[S]uch courſes wil more probably advance his trade, they…”.

Lineage

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500probablyWiktionary, English probably
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1651probablyWiktionary, English probably. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1651, Jeremy Taylor, Of Christian Justice: “[S]uch courſes wil more probably advance his trade, they…”

Every English word from Middle English probably

Today it means

adv In all likelihood.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “probably”. 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 probably / probably

Shirt and support for this word