Where does “letter” come from?

letter (Dutch) comes from Middle Dutch lettere, from Old French letre, from Latin littera, from Latin lītera, from Old Latin leitera, from Proto-Indo-European h₂leyH-, from Proto-Indo-European leyh₂- — to die, disapear; to avoid, elude, decline,...

letter (Dutch): letter letter of the alphabet

Definitions

  1. letter letter of the alphabet

Ancestry of “letter”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Dutchlettereletter; literal meaning; Bible
2Old Frenchletreletter
3Latinlitteraa letter of the alphabet; handwriting; letter,...
4Latinlītera
5Old Latinleitera
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂leyH-to smear
7Proto-Indo-Europeanleyh₂-to die, disapear; to avoid, elude, decline,...

Words derived from “letter

Every word from Proto-Indo-European leyh₂-