Where does “leanness” come from?
Leanness derives from Middle English lenenesse, though the ultimate origin and earliest meaning remain unknown.
leanness (English): The property of being lean, without excess or fat
Definitions
- The property of being lean, without excess or fat
Ancestry of “leanness”, step by step
leanness traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via English lean
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | lean | To incline, deviate, or bend, from a vertical... |
| 2 | English | gasoline | A flammable liquid consisting of a mixture of... |
| 3 | English | -ine | Of or pertaining to; Used to form demonyms;... |
| 4 | French | -ine | feminine singular of -in; female equivalent of... |
| 5 | French | -é | past participle root verb suffix of regular -er... |
| 6 | Middle French | -é | past participle root verb suffix of regular; -ed, -en, -n |
| 7 | Old French | -é | used to form past participles of regular -er... |
| 8 | Latin | -a | suffixed to the roots of verbs, forms agent... |
| 9 | Proto-Italic | -ā | Forms masculine agent nouns from prefixed or compounded bases |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | -éh₂ | — |
via English Ness
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Ness | An Ulster princess and the mother of Conchobar mac Nessa and Findchoem in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Daughter of Eochaid Sálbuide. Also the mother of Cormac Cond Longas by incest with Conchobar mac Nessa |
| 2 | Middle English | nesse | — |
| 3 | Old English | næs | not, not at all; not; first/third-person singular... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | nasją | foothill; headland; cape |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | néh₂s | nose |
via Middle English lenenesse
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | lenenesse | — |