Where does “li” come from?
li (Danish) comes from Old Danish lith, from Old Norse hlið, from Proto-Germanic hlidą, from Proto-Indo-European ḱlitós, from Proto-Indo-European ḱley-, from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- — to cover; to incline.
Ancestry of “li”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Danish | lith | — |
| 2 | Old Norse | hlið | gate; side; a gap, gate, space |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | hlidą | lid, cover |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱlitós | covered, sheltered; leaning, sloped, inclined |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱley- | to shelter, cover; to lean, slope, incline |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱel- | to cover; to incline |