Where does “len” come from?

len (English) comes from Middle English lenen, from Old English lǣnan, from Proto-West Germanic laihnijan, from Proto-Germanic laihnijaną, from Proto-Germanic laihną, from Proto-Indo-European leykʷ- — to leave.

Ancestry of “len”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishlenento lean
2Old Englishlǣnanto lend; give, grant, lease
3Proto-West Germaniclaihnijanto loan, lend
4Proto-Germaniclaihnijanąto loan, lend
5Proto-Germaniclaihnąthat which is lent, loan; fief
6Proto-Indo-Europeanleykʷ-to leave

Words derived from “len

Every word from Proto-Indo-European leykʷ-Every word from Proto-Germanic laihnąEvery word from Proto-Germanic laihnijaną