Where does “Leonardtown” come from?
Leonardtown (English) comes from English town, from English Freetown, from English free, from Middle English free, from Old English frēo, from Proto-Germanic *frī, from Proto-Germanic frijaz, from Proto-Indo-European priHós — to love, to please.
Ancestry of “Leonardtown”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | town | A settlement; an area with residential districts,... |
| 2 | English | Freetown | — |
| 3 | English | free | Unconstrained; Obtainable without any payment;... |
| 4 | Middle English | free | — |
| 5 | Old English | frēo | free, joyful |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | *frī | — |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | frijaz | free |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | priHós | dear, beloved; happy, free |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | preyH- | to love, to please |