Where does “plaagletter” come from?

plaagletter (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,...

plaagletter (Dutch): a letter that shifts the preceding vowel sound so...

Definitions

  1. a letter that shifts the preceding vowel sound so...

Ancestry of “plaagletter”, step by step

plaagletter traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Dutch letter

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchletterletter letter of the alphabet
2Middle Dutchlettereletter; literal meaning; Bible
3Old Frenchletreletter
4Latinlitteraa letter of the alphabet; handwriting; letter,...
5Latinlītera
6Old Latinleitera
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂leyH-to smear
8Proto-Indo-Europeanleyh₂-to die, disapear; to avoid, elude, decline,...

via Dutch plagen

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchplagento tease; to trouble; to torment
2Middle Dutchplâgento punish
3Old Dutchplāgonto torment, to trouble
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leyh₂-
plaagletter — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer