Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “liable” come from?

Liable comes from Old French lier, from Latin ligāre, meaning to bind or tie, which developed the sense of being bound by obligation or responsibility.

liable (English): bound or obliged in law or equity; responsible;...

Definitions

  1. bound or obliged in law or equity; responsible;...

Ancestry of “liable”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchlierto tie up; to connect with a tie
2Latinligō—
3Proto-Indo-Europeanleyǵ-to bind, tie

Words derived from “liable”

  • liability
  • nonliability
  • liableness
  • nonliable
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ- →