Where does “lafaard” come from?

lafaard (Afrikaans) comes from Dutch lafaard, from Dutch laf, from Middle Dutch laf, from Proto-Germanic laba-, from Proto-Indo-European leb- — to hang down loosely; lip; lick.

lafaard (Afrikaans): coward

Definitions

  1. coward

Ancestry of “lafaard”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchlafaardcoward, wuss
2Dutchlafcowardly
3Middle Dutchlaf—
4Proto-Germaniclaba-—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanleb-to hang down loosely; lip; lick
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leb- →Every word from Proto-Germanic laba- →Every word from Middle Dutch laf →