Where does “lady” come from?

Lady derives from Middle English lady, from Old English hlǣfdīġe, a compound of Old English hlāf (loaf of bread) and an element meaning kneader, ultimately from Proto-Germanic hlaibaz.

lady (English): The mistress of a household; A woman of breeding...

Definitions

  1. The mistress of a household; A woman of breeding...

Ancestry of “lady”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishladyA woman with authority or leadership
2Old Englishhlǣfdīġebread-kneader; mistress of a household, wife of a...
3Old Englishhlāfbread, loaf; bread, loaf, morsel; loaf, cake,...
4Proto-West Germanichlaibbread, loaf
5Proto-Germanichlaibazbread

Words derived from “lady

Every word from Proto-Germanic hlaibaz
lady — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer