Etymology Explorer › Dutch

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

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchletterletter
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,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leyh₂- →