Where does “lait” come from?

lait (English) comes from Old Norse hlað, from Old Norse hlaða, from Proto-Germanic hlaþaną, from Proto-Indo-European kleh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European kelh₂- — to beat; to break.

lait (English): Lightning; flash of lightning; a flash; To seek;...

Definitions

  1. Lightning; flash of lightning; a flash; To seek;...

Ancestry of “lait”, step by step

lait traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old Norse hlað

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norsehlaðpile, stack; pavement; border, lacework
2Old Norsehlaðato load, to lade; to pile, to stack; to build...
3Proto-Germanichlaþanąto load
4Proto-Indo-Europeankleh₂-to put; to lay out
5Proto-Indo-Europeankelh₂-to beat; to break

via Middle English laiten

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishlaitento seek, look for
2Old Norseleitato seek, to search
3Proto-Germanicwlaitōnąto look around, look for
4Proto-Indo-Europeanwēl-to see, perceive
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kelh₂- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European kleh₂- →Every word from Proto-Germanic hlaþaną →