Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “lairdship” come from?

lairdship (English) comes from English laird, from Scots laird, from Middle English lard, from Middle English lord, from Old English hlāford, from Old English hlāfweard, from Old English weard, from Old English ōra — to constrict, tighten, compress; narrow, tight;...

lairdship (English): The state or condition of being a laird; The area...

Definitions

  1. The state or condition of being a laird; The area...

Ancestry of “lairdship”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlairdThe owner of a Scottish estate; a member of the...
2Scotslairda lord or land owner
3Middle Englishlard—
4Middle Englishlordlord; Lord
5Old Englishhlāfordlord
6Old Englishhlāfweardlord, master, husband
7Old Englishweardguard; guard, the action of looking out for...
8Old Englishōraore, unwrought metal
9Old Englishēarsea, ocean; grave, earth
10Proto-Germanicahazear
11Proto-Finnicahtasnarrow, cramped
12Proto-Balticanśtas—
13Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂énǵʰusnarrow, tight
14Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂enǵʰ-to constrict, tighten, compress; narrow, tight;...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂enǵʰ- →