Where does “lasse” come from?

lasse (Middle English) comes from Old English lǣs, from Proto-Germanic laisiz, from Proto-Indo-European leys- — to trace, to track.

lasse (Middle English): A working girl; less

Definitions

  1. A working girl; less

Ancestry of “lasse”, step by step

lasse traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old English lǣs

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishlǣsless, lest; meadow; pasture
2Proto-Germaniclaisizsmaller, lesser; smaller, lesser, fewer, lower
3Proto-Indo-Europeanleys-to trace, to track

via Old Norse laskura

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norselaskuraan unmarried woman, maiden
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leys- →Every word from Proto-Germanic laisiz →Every word from Old English lǣs →