Where does “latter” come from?
Latter comes from Old English lætra, comparative of læt, from Proto-Germanic lataz, from Proto-Indo-European lē(y)d-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European leh₁d-.
latter (English): Relating to or being the second of two items;...
Definitions
- Relating to or being the second of two items;...
Ancestry of “latter”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | lætra | — |
| 2 | Old English | læt | slow; slack, lax, negligent; late |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | lētaz | freeman; bondsman; serf |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | lētaną | to let, to allow; to leave alone |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | leh₁d- | to be tired |
Words derived from “latter”