Where does “loath” come from?
Loath comes from Middle English lōth, from Old English lāþ, from Proto-Germanic laiþaz, from Proto-Indo-European leyt-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ley-.
loath (English): Averse, disinclined; reluctant, unwilling; Angry,...
Definitions
- Averse, disinclined; reluctant, unwilling; Angry,...
Ancestry of “loath”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | lōth | displeasing, hateful, unpleasant; horrible,... |
| 2 | Middle English | wite | guilt, blameworthiness, blame, wrongdoing,... |
| 3 | Old English | wīte | penalty; punishment, pain, torment |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | wītī | punishment |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | witją | knowledge; reason; sense; understanding; wit |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | *witaną | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | wóyde | to have seen, to know |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | weyd- | to see |
Words derived from “loath”