toothlessly

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

English toothless

Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der.

Proto-Germanic *līkąder.

Proto-Germanic *-līkaz

Proto-Germanic *-ê

Proto-Germanic *-līkê

Proto-West Germanic *-līkē

Old English -līċe

Middle English -ly

English -ly

English toothlessly

From toothless + -ly.

Adverb

toothlessly (not comparable)

1. In a toothless way; without teeth.
   • 1930, Margaret Ayer Barnes, Years of Grace, Part III, Chapter II, page 275:

     A wrinkled old woman, pulling a little wagon full of kindling, turned to smile toothlessly up at him a at the sound of his artless tenor.