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
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | lēaþor | a kind of niter used for soap, soda |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | lauþrą | nitre used as soap, soap; foam, lather |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | lówh₃trom | that which is used for washing; washbasin,... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | lewh₃- | to wash |
Words derived from “lather”