Where does “label” come from?
Label comes from Middle English label, from Old French label, from Proto-Indo-European leb-, a root of uncertain original meaning.
label (English): A small ticket or sign giving information about...
Definitions
- A small ticket or sign giving information about...
Ancestry of “label”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | label | narrow band, strip of cloth |
| 2 | Old French | label | strip of fabric; badge; insignia |
| 3 | Frankish | lappā | cloth, rag, lobe; torn piece of cloth; rag, torn... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | lappǭ | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | leb- | to hang down loosely; lip; lick |
Words derived from “label”