Where does “leftmost” come from?
Leftmost derives from English left, which comes from Middle English luft, Old English lyft, Old English ġelȳfan, Proto-Germanic luftuz, and ultimately Proto-Indo-European roots lewp-, lew-, and lip-.
leftmost (English): Furthest to the left
Definitions
- Furthest to the left
Ancestry of “leftmost”, step by step
| 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... |