Where does “leftern” come from?
leftern (English) comes from English left, from Middle English left, from Middle English laft, from Old English læfd, from Old English lǣfan, from Frankish laibijan, from Proto-Germanic laibijaną, from Proto-Germanic lībaną — to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave...
leftern (English): Left
Definitions
- Left
Ancestry of “leftern”, step by step
leftern traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English left
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | left | The opposite of right; toward the west when one... |
| 2 | Middle English | left | — |
| 3 | Middle English | laft | past participle of leave |
| 4 | Old English | læfd | — |
| 5 | Old English | lǣfan | to leave |
| 6 | Frankish | laibijan | to leave; to leave behind |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | laibijaną | to leave behind, to leave remaining |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | lībaną | to remain, to be left |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | leyp- | to stick; fat or sticky substance |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | lēy- | to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave... |
via English ern
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ern | To run; flow |
| 2 | Middle English | ernen | To earn to accrue or receive payments |
| 3 | Old English | irnan | Alternative form of rinnan; to run |
| 4 | Old English | rinnan | to run |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | *rinnan | to run, to flow |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | rinnaną | to run, to rush; to flow |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃ér- | to move, to stir |