Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “leman” come from?

leman (English) comes from Middle English Leman, from Old English lēofmann, from Old English lēof, from West Germanic *leub, from Proto-Germanic leubaz, from Proto-Indo-European lewbʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European lēw- — to sound, resound, sing out; to leave.

leman (English): One beloved; a lover, a sweetheart of either sex;...

Definitions

  1. One beloved; a lover, a sweetheart of either sex;...

Ancestry of “leman”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishLeman—
2Old Englishlēofmann—
3Old Englishlēoflief, dear
4West Germanic*leub—
5Proto-Germanicleubazdear, beloved
6Proto-Indo-Europeanlewbʰ-to desire, covet, want; to admire, praise; to...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanlēw-to sound, resound, sing out; to leave
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lēw- →