Where does “lau” come from?
lau (German) comes from Middle High German lā, from Old High German lāo, from Proto-Germanic hlēwaz, from Proto-Indo-European ḱlew-, from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- — to cover; to incline.
lau (German): lukewarm, tepid
Ancestry of “lau”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle High German | lā | — |
| 2 | Old High German | lāo | warm |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | hlēwaz | lukewarm |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱlew- | to hear |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱel- | to cover; to incline |