Where does “last” come from?
last (Middle English) comes from Old English hlæst, from Proto-Germanic hlastuz, from Proto-Indo-European kleh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European kelh₂- — to beat; to break.
last (Middle English): fault, vice; load
Ancestry of “last”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | hlæst | load, freight, cargo |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | hlastuz | load, burden, cargo, freight |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | kleh₂- | to put; to lay out |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | kelh₂- | to beat; to break |
Words derived from “last”