Where does “less” come from?
Less derives from Middle English lasse, from Old Norse laskura, from Proto-Germanic lausaz meaning "loose," from Proto-Indo-European lēy- meaning "to loosen."
less (English): To a smaller extent or degree; comparative form...
Definitions
- To a smaller extent or degree; comparative form...
Ancestry of “less”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | les | false; lying; deceptive; falsehood; a lie |
| 2 | Old English | lēas | false, lax; false, void, loose; devoid of, loose... |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | *laus | — |
Words derived from “less”