'lordly' originates from Middle English, specifically the word 'lordli' (formed from 'lord' + suffix '-li'), where the suffix '-li' (later '-ly') meant 'like' or 'in the manner of'.

'lordly' changed from the Middle English 'lordli' (from Old English 'hlāford' > Middle English 'lord'), and eventually became the modern English word 'lordly' by the addition of the adjectival suffix '-ly'.

Initially, it meant 'in the manner of a lord' or 'belonging to a lord'; over time it has retained the core sense of 'like a lord' but developed nuances including 'majestic' and 'arrogantly overbearing'.