Where does “lifeform” come from?
lifeform (English) comes from English life, from Middle English lyf, from Old English līf, from Proto-West Germanic līb, from Proto-Germanic lībą, from Proto-Germanic lībaną, from Proto-Indo-European leyp-, from Proto-Indo-European lēy- — to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave...
lifeform (English): Any specific living organism
Definitions
- Any specific living organism
Ancestry of “lifeform”, step by step
lifeform traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English life
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | life | The state of organisms preceding their death,... |
| 2 | Middle English | lyf | life |
| 3 | Old English | līf | life, existence; life-time |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | līb | body; life |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | lībą | body; life |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | lībaną | to remain, to be left |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | leyp- | to stick; fat or sticky substance |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | lēy- | to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave... |
via English form
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | form | To do with shape; To do with structure or... |
| 2 | Middle English | forme | first; shape, figure, manner, bench, frame, seat,... |
| 3 | Old English | forma | first |
| 4 | Old English | fore | before; forepart, front |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | furai | before, in front of; before, in front |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | preh₂- | before, in front |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |