Where does “light-heeled” come from?

light-heeled (English) comes from English Light, from Middle English light, from Old English lēoht, from Proto-West Germanic leuht, from Proto-Germanic leuhtą, from Proto-Indo-European lewktom, from Proto-Indo-European lewk- — bright; to shine; to see.

light-heeled (English): Nimble or lively in walking or running; swift of foot

Definitions

  1. Nimble or lively in walking or running; swift of foot

Ancestry of “light-heeled”, step by step

light-heeled traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Light

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishLightA place name
2Middle EnglishlightThe radiation which allows for vision by...
3Old Englishlēohtluminous, bright, light, clear, resplendent,...
4Proto-West Germanicleuhtlight, bright; light
5Proto-Germanicleuhtąlight
6Proto-Indo-Europeanlewktom
7Proto-Indo-Europeanlewk-bright; to shine; to see

via English heeled

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishheeledsimple past tense and past participle of heel;...
2EnglishheelThe rear part of the foot, where it joins the...
3Middle EnglishheleAlternative form of ele
4Old Englishhēlaheel
5Proto-West Germanic*hą̄hilōheel
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewk-