Where does “lodestone” come from?
lodestone (English) comes from Middle English lode, from Old English lād, from Proto-West Germanic *laidu, from Proto-Germanic laidō, from Proto-Indo-European leyt-, from Proto-Indo-European lēy- — to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave...
lodestone (English): A naturally occurring magnet; The mineral...
Definitions
- A naturally occurring magnet; The mineral...
Ancestry of “lodestone”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | lode | guide |
| 2 | Old English | lād | course, journey; way, street, waterway; leading,... |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | *laidu | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | laidō | a leading; a way, course, route, direction |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | leyt- | to scratch; to leave, die; to go, go forth, die |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | lēy- | to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave... |