Where does “lye” come from?
Lye comes from Old English lēag, from Proto-Germanic laugō, from Proto-Indo-European lewh₃-, a root of uncertain meaning.
lye (English): An alkaline liquid made by leaching ashes;...
Definitions
- An alkaline liquid made by leaching ashes;...
Ancestry of “lye”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle Dutch | leye | manner |
| 2 | Old English | lēah | meadow; clearing with a pigsty; woodland,... |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | lauh | clearing; meadow |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | lauhaz | clearing; meadow |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | lówkos | clearing; open space, clearing; field, meadow |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | lewḱ- | lynx |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | lewk- | bright; to shine; to see |