Where does “leet” come from?

Leet comes from English elite, which derives from Old English lǣtan, from Proto-Germanic lētaną, ultimately from Latin electus, the past participle of eligere meaning to select or choose.

leet (English): A portion or list, especially a list of...

Definitions

  1. A portion or list, especially a list of...

Ancestry of “leet”, step by step

leet traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via English élite

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishéliteAlternative spelling of elite
2Frenchéliteelite
3Frenchélitthird-person singular present indicative of...
4Old Frencheslitchosen, elected
5Old Frenchelire
6Latineligeresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
7LatineligoI choose, I pluck or root out, extract; I pick...
8Latine-Alternative form of ex-; out of; out, utterly
9Latinex-out, away; throughout; thoroughly
10LatineThe name of the letter "E"; out of, from
11LatinexA name of the letter "X"; out of, from
12Latincommūnicōto impart, share
13Latincommūniscommon, commonplace, ordinary, general, universal, shared, shared alike, of both sides, belonging to two or more together
14Old Latincom(m)oinis
15Proto-Italickommoiniscommon
16Proto-Indo-Europeanḱom-moy-ni-held in common
17Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
18Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
19Middle Englishkyt
20Russianкитwhale; genitive plural of ки́та
21Old Church Slavonicкитъwhale
22Ancient Greekκῆτοςwhale, sea monster; abyss

via Old English lēt

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishlēt
2Old Englishlǣtanto let; leave; to let go, leave; to allow, let...
3Proto-West Germaniclātanto let, to allow; to leave alone
4Proto-Germaniclētanąto let, to allow; to leave alone
5Proto-Indo-Europeanleh₁d-to be tired

via Middle English lete

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishletea meeting or intersection of roads; junction;...
2Old Englishġelǣtleat
3Proto-Germanicgalētąa letting, a letting out
4Proto-Germaniclētąa letting

Words derived from “leet

Every word from Ancient Greek κῆτοςEvery word from Old Church Slavonic китъEvery word from Russian кит