Where does “halflife” come from?

halflife (English) comes from English life, from Middle English lyf, from Old English līf, from Proto-West Germanic līb, from Proto-Germanic lībą, from Proto-Germanic lībaną, from Proto-Indo-European leyp-, from Proto-Indo-European lēy- — to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave...

halflife (English): Alternative spelling of half-life

Definitions

  1. Alternative spelling of half-life

Ancestry of “halflife”, step by step

halflife traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English life

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlifeThe state of organisms preceding their death,...
2Middle Englishlyflife
3Old Englishlīflife, existence; life-time
4Proto-West Germaniclībbody; life
5Proto-Germaniclībąbody; life
6Proto-Germaniclībanąto remain, to be left
7Proto-Indo-Europeanleyp-to stick; fat or sticky substance
8Proto-Indo-Europeanlēy-to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave...

via English half

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishhalfConsisting of a half; Consisting of some...
2Middle Englishhalfhalf
3Old Englishhealfside; half; partly
4Proto-Germanic*halb
5Proto-Germanichalbazhalf
6Proto-Indo-European(s)kelH-to cut; to split, to separate
7Proto-Indo-European(s)kel-to bend, crook; bent, crooked; leg, heel, knee,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lēy-
halflife — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer