Where does “lief” come from?

lief (Middle Dutch) comes from Old Dutch liof, from Proto-West Germanic *leub, from Proto-Germanic leubaz, from Proto-Indo-European lewbʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European lēw- — to sound, resound, sing out; to leave.

lief (Middle Dutch): loved, dear; sweet, nice

Definitions

  1. loved, dear; sweet, nice

Ancestry of “lief”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Dutchliof—
2Proto-West Germanic*leubdear, beloved
3Proto-Germanicleubazdear, beloved
4Proto-Indo-Europeanlewbʰ-to desire, covet, want; to admire, praise; to...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanlēw-to sound, resound, sing out; to leave

Words derived from “lief”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European lēw- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewbʰ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic leubaz →