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
2Latinligōhoe, mattock
3Proto-Indo-Europeanleyǵ-to bind, tie

Words derived from “liable

Every word from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ-