Where does “twelvepence” come from?
twelvepence (English) comes from English twelve, from Middle English twelve, from Old English twelf, from Proto-Germanic twalif, from Proto-Germanic -lif, from Proto-Indo-European leyp-, from Proto-Indo-European lēy- — to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave...
twelvepence (English): The monetary amount of twelve pence
Definitions
- The monetary amount of twelve pence
Ancestry of “twelvepence”, step by step
twelvepence traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English twelve
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | twelve | The cardinal number occurring after eleven and... |
| 2 | Middle English | twelve | twelve |
| 3 | Old English | twelf | twelve |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | twalif | twelve |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | -lif | left over |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | leyp- | to stick; fat or sticky substance |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | lēy- | to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave... |