Where does “lītera” come from?
lītera (Latin) comes from Old Latin leitera, from Proto-Indo-European h₂leyH-, from Proto-Indo-European leyh₂- — to die, disapear; to avoid, elude, decline,...
Ancestry of “lītera”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Latin | leitera | — |
| 2 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂leyH- | to smear |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | leyh₂- | to die, disapear; to avoid, elude, decline,... |