Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “list” come from?

List comes from Middle English list, from Proto-Germanic līstǭ, from Proto-Indo-European leizd, leys-, lewktom, and lewk-, with ultimate origins unclear.

list (English): A strip of fabric, especially from the edge of a...

Definitions

  1. A strip of fabric, especially from the edge of a...

Ancestry of “list”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishlisteAlternative form of light; ability, cleverness,...
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

Words derived from “list”

  • listing
  • enlist
  • checklist
  • enlistment
  • playlist
  • blacklist
  • listeth
  • Lisp
  • netlist
  • sublist
  • reenlist
  • lister
  • reenlistment
  • listwise
  • waitlist
  • backlist
  • watchlist
  • wordlist
  • listy
  • delist
  • booklist
  • whitelist
  • enlistee
  • worklist
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewk- →