Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “leavening” come from?

Leavening comes from Middle English levain, from Late Latin levamen meaning "that which alleviates," derived from Latin levis meaning "light," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₁lengʰ-.

leavening (English): present participle of leaven; The process by...

Definitions

  1. present participle of leaven; The process by...

Ancestry of “leavening”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishleavenAny agent used to make dough rise or to have a...
2EnglishleaveTo have a consequence or remnant; To depart; to...
3FrenchleverTo raise, lift; To rise, stand up; To get up
4Middle Frenchleverto lift
5Old Frenchleverto lift; to get up
6Latinlevō—
7Latinlēvis—
8Proto-Italicleɣʷis—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁léngʰuslightweight
10Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁lengʷʰ-light
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁lengʷʰ- →