Where does “lief” come from?

lief (Dutch) comes from Middle Dutch lief, from Old Dutch liof, from Proto-West Germanic *leub, from Proto-Germanic leubaz, from Proto-Indo-European lewbʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European lēw- — to sound, resound, sing out; to leave.

lief (Dutch): nice, sweet; beloved; one's beloved in a romantic...

Definitions

  1. nice, sweet; beloved; one's beloved in a romantic...

Ancestry of “lief”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Dutchliefloved, dear; sweet, nice
2Old Dutchliof—
3Proto-West Germanic*leubdear, beloved
4Proto-Germanicleubazdear, beloved
5Proto-Indo-Europeanlewbʰ-to desire, covet, want; to admire, praise; to...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanlēw-to sound, resound, sing out; to leave

Words derived from “lief”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European lēw- →