Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “laying” come from?

Laying derives from Middle English lay, from Latin laicus meaning nonprofessional, from Proto-Indo-European ḱley-, ḱel-, and ultimately legʰ-.

laying (English): present participle of lay

Definitions

  1. present participle of lay

Ancestry of “laying”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlayTo place down in a position of rest, or in a...
2EnglishLee—
3IrishLaoi—
4Middle Irishláed—
5EnglishloidA lock-picking tool made from a piece of...
6EnglishcelluloidAny of a variety of thermoplastics created from...
7English-oidOf similar form to, but not the same as. Having...
8Latin-oides-like, -form
9Greek-οending for "accusative singular" forms ; and some...
10Ancient GreekεἶδοςThat which is seen: form, image, shape;...
11Spanish-scopio-scope
12Latin-scopium—
13Ancient GreekσκοπέωI look, look at, behold; I examine, inspect; 413...
14Ancient Greekσκοπόςwatcher, lookout; protector, guardian; spy, scout

Words derived from “laying”

  • bricklaying
  • egglaying
  • tracklaying
  • pipelaying
  • nonlaying
  • blocklaying
  • groundlaying
Every word from Ancient Greek σκοπός →