Where does “law” come from?
Law derives from Middle English lawe, from Old English hlāw, from Old Norse lǫg, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots lakw-, ḱley-, and ḱel-.
law (English): The body of binding rules and regulations,...
Definitions
- The body of binding rules and regulations,...
Ancestry of “law”, step by step
law traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English lawe
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | lawe | A law, regulation, or a group of them; Morality,... |
| 2 | Old English | lagu | sea, water, lake; the runic character ᛚ; law,... |
| 3 | Old Norse | lǫg | fate; situation, the condition that one is given... |
| 4 | Old Norse | lág | a felled tree; log; lying tree |
| 5 | Old Norse | leggja | to lay, place, put; to make, build |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | lagjaną | to lay, to place in a resting position |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | legʰ- | to lie |
via Middle English laȝe
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | laȝe | Alternative form of lawe |