Where does “last” come from?

last (Faroese) comes from Middle Low German last, from Old Saxon hladan, from Proto-West Germanic hlaþan, from Proto-Germanic hlaþaną, from Proto-Indo-European kleh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European kelh₂- — to beat; to break.

last (Faroese): vice; cargo; cargo hold, hold

Definitions

  1. vice; cargo; cargo hold, hold

Ancestry of “last”, step by step

last traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle Low German last

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Low Germanlast—
2Old Saxonhladanto load, to lade
3Proto-West Germanichlaþanto load
4Proto-Germanichlaþanąto load
5Proto-Indo-Europeankleh₂-to put; to lay out
6Proto-Indo-Europeankelh₂-to beat; to break

via Old Norse lǫstr

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norselǫstrdamage; fault, vice, crime
2Proto-Germaniclahanąto blame, fault, reproach
3Proto-Indo-Europeanlok-—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kelh₂- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European kleh₂- →Every word from Proto-Germanic hlaþaną →