Where does “let” come from?
Let comes from Middle English leten, from Old English lǣtan, from Proto-Germanic lētaną, from Proto-Indo-European leh₁d- or lē(y)d-.
let (English): To allow to, not to prevent; To leave; To allow...
Definitions
- To allow to, not to prevent; To leave; To allow...
Ancestry of “let”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | leten | to let |
| 2 | Old English | lǣtan | to let; leave; to let go, leave; to allow, let... |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | lātan | to let, to allow; to leave alone |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | lētaną | to let, to allow; to leave alone |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | leh₁d- | to be tired |