Where does “ladder” come from?
ladder (Middle English) comes from Old English hlǣder, from Proto-West Germanic *hlaidriju, from Proto-Germanic hlaidrijō, from Proto-Indo-European ḱley-, from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- — to cover; to incline.
ladder (Middle English): ladder; A frame for a cart
Definitions
- ladder; A frame for a cart
Ancestry of “ladder”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | hlǣder | — |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | *hlaidriju | ladder |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | hlaidrijō | ladder |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱley- | to shelter, cover; to lean, slope, incline |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱel- | to cover; to incline |