Where does “lather” come from?

lather (Middle English) comes from Old English lēaþor, from Proto-Germanic lauþrą, from Proto-Indo-European lówh₃trom, from Proto-Indo-European lewh₃- — to wash.

Ancestry of “lather”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishlēaþora kind of niter used for soap, soda
2Proto-Germaniclauþrąnitre used as soap, soap; foam, lather
3Proto-Indo-Europeanlówh₃tromthat which is used for washing; washbasin,...
4Proto-Indo-Europeanlewh₃-to wash

Words derived from “lather”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewh₃- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European lówh₃trom →Every word from Proto-Germanic lauþrą →