Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “laches” come from?

Laches comes from Old French laches, derived from Old French lachesse, from Old French laschier, from Latin laxico, from Latin laxo, from Latin laxare, from Latin laxus meaning loose or slack.

laches (English): An unreasonable delay in bringing a claim...

Definitions

  1. An unreasonable delay in bringing a claim...

Ancestry of “laches”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchlaches—
2Old Frenchlachesselaxness
3Old Frenchlaschierto release; to let go of
4Latinlaxico—
5Latinlaxō—
6Latinlaxuswide, spacious, roomy; yielding; loose, slack,...
7Proto-Indo-European(s)lēg-to let go; weak, feeble; loose; dissolute, lewd;...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)lēg- →