Where does “leftwise” come from?
leftwise (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...
leftwise (English): By a leftward path; leftwards, leftwardly;...
Definitions
- By a leftward path; leftwards, leftwardly;...
Ancestry of “leftwise”, step by step
leftwise 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... |