Where does “leichenblass” come from?
leichenblass (German) comes from German Leiche, from Middle High German līche, from Old High German līh, from Proto-West Germanic līk, from Proto-Germanic līką, from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ- — to bind, tie.
leichenblass (German): deathly pale
Ancestry of “leichenblass”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | German | Leiche | dead body, corpse |
| 2 | Middle High German | līche | — |
| 3 | Old High German | līh | — |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | līk | body |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | līką | body; corpse, dead body; leech-line, bolt-rope |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | leyǵ- | to bind, tie |