'outwardly' originates from Middle English, specifically the word 'outwardliche,' where 'outward' meant 'toward the outside' and '-ly' was an adverbial suffix.

'outwardliche' transformed into the modern English word 'outwardly' through gradual phonetic changes.

Initially, it meant 'toward the outside,' but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'in a way that relates to how something appears on the outside.'