Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “loaf” come from?

Loaf comes from Middle English lof, from Middle Dutch loef, from Proto-Germanic lubą, from Proto-Indo-European lāp-, a root of uncertain ultimate origin and meaning.

loaf (English): A block of bread after baking; Any solid block of...

Definitions

  1. A block of bread after baking; Any solid block of...

Ancestry of “loaf”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishloaferAn idle person; A shoe with no laces, resembling...
2Old Englishlāfremnant, remainder; remainder, residue, what is...
3Proto-West Germaniclaiburemainder
4Northern Samiláibutto bake bread
5Northern Samiláibibread
6Proto-Samiclājpēbread
7Proto-Germanichlaibazbread

Words derived from “loaf”

  • loafing
  • meatloaf
  • cyberloafing
  • loaflike
  • catloaf
  • nutraloaf
  • fleshloaf
  • liverloaf
Every word from Proto-Germanic hlaibaz →