'hardly' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'heardlice,' where 'heard' meant 'hard' and '-lice' was an adverbial suffix.

'heardlice' transformed into the Middle English word 'hardliche,' and eventually became the modern English word 'hardly'.

Initially, it meant 'in a hard manner,' but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'barely or scarcely'.