Where does “lettergreep” come from?
lettergreep (Dutch) comes from Dutch letter, 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,...
lettergreep (Dutch): syllable
Definitions
- syllable
Ancestry of “lettergreep”, step by step
lettergreep traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Dutch letter
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dutch | letter | letter letter of the alphabet |
| 2 | Middle Dutch | lettere | letter; literal meaning; Bible |
| 3 | Old French | letre | letter |
| 4 | Latin | littera | a letter of the alphabet; handwriting; letter,... |
| 5 | Latin | lītera | — |
| 6 | Old Latin | leitera | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂leyH- | to smear |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | leyh₂- | to die, disapear; to avoid, elude, decline,... |