Where does “leiðarstef” come from?

leiðarstef (Icelandic) comes from Icelandic leið, from Old Norse leið, from Proto-Germanic laidō, from Proto-Indo-European leyt-, from Proto-Indo-European lēy- — to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave...

leiðarstef (Icelandic): leitmotif; recurring theme, leitmotif

Definitions

  1. leitmotif; recurring theme, leitmotif

Ancestry of “leiðarstef”, step by step

leiðarstef traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Icelandic leið

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Icelandicleiðroute, way, course; method, means
2Old Norseleiða way; a way, a road; a course
3Proto-Germaniclaidōa leading; a way, course, route, direction
4Proto-Indo-Europeanleyt-to scratch; to leave, die; to go, go forth, die
5Proto-Indo-Europeanlēy-to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave...

via Icelandic stef

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Icelandicstefrefrain, burden; motif, theme
2Old Norsestef
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lēy-Every word from Proto-Indo-European leyt-Every word from Proto-Germanic laidō