Where does “last” come from?

last (German) comes from Middle High German last, from Old High German hlast, from Proto-Germanic hlastuz, from Proto-Indo-European kleh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European kelh₂- — to beat; to break.

last (German): second-person singular/plural preterite of lesen

Definitions

  1. second-person singular/plural preterite of lesen

Ancestry of “last”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle High Germanlast—
2Old High Germanhlast—
3Proto-Germanichlastuzload, burden, cargo, freight
4Proto-Indo-Europeankleh₂-to put; to lay out
5Proto-Indo-Europeankelh₂-to beat; to break

Words derived from “last”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European kelh₂- →