Where does “lain” come from?

Lain comes from Old English licgan, from Proto-Germanic *ligjaną, from Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- meaning to lie down or recline.

lain (English): past participle of lie; To conceal, keep quiet...

Definitions

  1. past participle of lie; To conceal, keep quiet...

Ancestry of “lain”, step by step

lain traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle English lainen

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishlainen—
2Old Norseleynato conceal
3Proto-Germaniclaugnijanąto conceal; gainsay; deny
4Proto-Germaniclaugnōsecrecy

via Old English līeġnan

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishlīeġnanto deny; conceal
2Proto-West Germanic*laugnijanto conceal; gainsay; deny
Every word from Proto-Germanic laugnō →Every word from Proto-Germanic laugnijaną →Every word from Old Norse leyna →
lain — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer