Where does “liegeman” come from?
liegeman (English) comes from Middle English lege man, from Middle English lege, from Anglo-Norman lige, from Old French liege, from Vulgar Latin levius, from Latin lēvis, from Proto-Italic leɣʷis, from Proto-Indo-European h₁léngʰus — light.
liegeman (English): A male vassal
Definitions
- A male vassal
Ancestry of “liegeman”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | lege man | A liegeman; one who is subordinate to a feudal... |
| 2 | Middle English | lege | league; one's subjects or vassals; those under... |
| 3 | Anglo-Norman | lige | liege; liegeman; vassal |
| 4 | Old French | liege | liege, servant; liege, free |
| 5 | Vulgar Latin | levius | comparative degree of leviter |
| 6 | Latin | lēvis | light, not heavy |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | leɣʷis | light |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁léngʰus | lightweight |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁lengʷʰ- | light |