Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Twelverism” come from?

Twelverism (English) comes from English Twelver, from English twelve, from Middle English twelve, from Old English twelf, from Proto-Germanic twalif, from Proto-Germanic -lif, from Proto-Indo-European leyp-, from Proto-Indo-European lēy- — to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave...

Ancestry of “Twelverism”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishTwelverA member of the largest branch of Shi'a Islam,...
2EnglishtwelveThe cardinal number occurring after eleven and...
3Middle Englishtwelvetwelve
4Old Englishtwelftwelve
5Proto-Germanictwaliftwelve
6Proto-Germanic-lifleft over
7Proto-Indo-Europeanleyp-to stick; fat or sticky substance
8Proto-Indo-Europeanlēy-to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lēy- →