Where does “label” come from?
label (Middle English) comes from Old French label, from Frankish lappā, from Proto-Germanic lappǭ, from Proto-Indo-European leb- — to hang down loosely; lip; lick.
label (Middle English): narrow band, strip of cloth
Definitions
- narrow band, strip of cloth
Ancestry of “label”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old French | label | strip of fabric; badge; insignia |
| 2 | Frankish | lappā | cloth, rag, lobe; torn piece of cloth; rag, torn... |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | lappǭ | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | leb- | to hang down loosely; lip; lick |
Words derived from “label”