Where does “alight” come from?

Alight comes from Middle English alight, from Old English ālīhted, combining the Old English prefix ā- with a verb from Proto-Germanic liuhtijaną, ultimately descended from Proto-Indo-European lewk-, meaning to shine or be light.

alight (English): To get off or exit a vehicle or animal; to...

Definitions

  1. To get off or exit a vehicle or animal; to...

Ancestry of “alight”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishalighten—
2Old Englishālīhtanto light up, enlighten; to lighten, relieve,...
3Old Englishlīhtanto light; to alight
4Proto-Indo-Europeanlewḱ-lynx
5Proto-Indo-Europeanlewk-bright; to shine; to see

Words derived from “alight”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewk- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewḱ- →Every word from Old English līhtan →