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
- One who tells lies; A swabber responsible for...
Ancestry of “liar”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | lier | — |
| 2 | Old English | lēgere | — |
| 3 | Old English | lēogan | to lie, deceive, belie, betray, be in error,... |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | leugan | to lie, to tell a falsehood |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | leuganą | to lie, to tell a falsehood |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | lewgʰ- | to lie, to tell falsehood |
Words derived from “liar”