Where does “billedlig” come from?

billedlig (Danish) comes from Danish lig, from Old Norse lík, from Middle Low German līk, from Proto-Germanic līką, from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ- — to bind, tie.

billedlig (Danish): figurative, metaphorical

Definitions

  1. figurative, metaphorical

Ancestry of “billedlig”, step by step

billedlig traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Danish lig

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishligequal to; like, similar to; body, corpse
2Old Norselíkleechline; body; leech
3Middle Low Germanlīk—
4Proto-Germaniclīkąbody; corpse, dead body; leech-line, bolt-rope
5Proto-Indo-Europeanleyǵ-to bind, tie

via Danish billede

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishbilledepicture, image; photo
2Old Danishbeletæ—
3Middle Low Germanbilede—
4Old Saxonbilithi—
5Proto-West Germanic*biliþilikeness, image

Words derived from “billedlig”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic līką →Every word from Middle Low German līk →
billedlig — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer