Where does “liar” come from?

Liar comes from Middle English lier, from Old English lēgere (one who lies), derived from Old English lēogan (to lie), from Proto-West Germanic leugan, Proto-Germanic leuganą, and ultimately Proto-Indo-European lewgʰ-.

liar (English): One who tells lies; A swabber responsible for...

Definitions

  1. One who tells lies; A swabber responsible for...

Ancestry of “liar”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishlier—
2Old Englishlēgere—
3Old Englishlēoganto lie, deceive, belie, betray, be in error,...
4Proto-West Germanicleuganto lie, to tell a falsehood
5Proto-Germanicleuganąto lie, to tell a falsehood
6Proto-Indo-Europeanlewgʰ-to lie, to tell falsehood

Words derived from “liar”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewgʰ- →
liar — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer