Where does “belle laide” come from?
belle laide (English) comes from French laid, from Middle French laid, from Old French laid, from Vulgar Latin laitus, from Frankish laiþ, from Proto-Germanic laiþaz, from Proto-Indo-European leyt-, from Proto-Indo-European lēy- — to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave...
belle laide (English): A woman who is attractive despite not being...
Definitions
- A woman who is attractive despite not being...
Ancestry of “belle laide”, step by step
belle laide traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via French laid
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | laid | Physically ugly; Morally corrupt |
| 2 | Middle French | laid | ugly |
| 3 | Old French | laid | — |
| 4 | Vulgar Latin | laitus | unpleasant, ugly; unpleasant, disgusting, ugly |
| 5 | Frankish | laiþ | unpleasant, obstinate, odious; unpleasant,... |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | laiþaz | loath; loathsome; disgusting; unwilling; averse;... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | leyt- | to scratch; to leave, die; to go, go forth, die |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | lēy- | to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave... |
via French belle
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | belle | feminine singular of beau; beautiful woman,... |
| 2 | Latin | bella | nominative plural of bellum; accusative plural of... |
| 3 | Latin | bellum | war; nominative neuter singular of bellus;... |
| 4 | Latin | bellus | beautiful, pretty, handsome; pleasant, agreeable,... |
| 5 | Latin | villus | hair, tuft of hair, shaggy hair |
| 6 | Latin | vellus | The wool shorn from a sheep; fleece; wool; The... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂welh₁- | to rule; strong, powerful; hair; wool |