Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “leaden” come from?

Leaden comes from Middle English leaden, from Old English lǣdan, from Proto-Germanic laidijaną, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ley-.

leaden (English): Made of lead; Pertaining to or resembling lead;...

Definitions

  1. Made of lead; Pertaining to or resembling lead;...

Ancestry of “leaden”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishledento lead; to carry, take, bring; to put, place,...
2Old Englishlēodennational or popular language; national language;...
3Old English-enmæġþ + API → mæġden; cocc + API → cycen, cicen;...
4Old Norse-innUsed to create adjectives from nouns, meaning...
5Proto-Norse-īna-—
6Proto-Germanic-īnaz-en
7Proto-Indo-European-iHnosCreates adjectives of materials
8Proto-Indo-European-no-adjectival suffix

Words derived from “leaden”

  • leadenly
  • leadenness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -no- →