Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “lift” come from?

Lift comes from Middle English luft, from Old Norse lypta, from Proto-Germanic luftijaną, from Proto-Indo-European lewp-.

lift (English): To raise or rise; To steal; To source directly...

Definitions

  1. To raise or rise; To steal; To source directly...

Ancestry of “lift”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishlifte—
2Old Englishlyftair, atmosphere; the sky
3Proto-West Germaniclufturoof; air
4Proto-Germanicluftuzroof; roof of the earth, firmament; heavens, sky;...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanlewp-peel, break off; to flake off, peel, damage; to...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanlew-dirt, mud; to cut, remove, prune, separate; to...

Words derived from “lift”

  • lifted
  • lifting
  • uplift
  • shoplifting
  • airlift
  • lifter
  • forklift
  • facelift
  • weightlifting
  • upliftment
  • shoplifter
  • shoplift
  • lifteth
  • weightlifter
  • chairlift
  • deadlift
  • boatlift
  • sealift
  • unlifted
  • liftest
  • uplifter
  • liftman
  • stairlift
  • browlift
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lew- →