English
steply
From step + -ly.
Formed from step + -ly
Proto-Indo-European *stebʰ- ‘to support’
Proto-Germanic *stapjaną ‘to step’
Proto-West Germanic *stappjan ‘to step’
Old English steppan ‘to step’
Middle English steppen ‘to step’
English step
Today it means
adv Step by step; gradually; in steps; stepwise.
Sources
Sources: Wiktionary, “steply”. 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 / steply