Where does “laus” come from?

laus (Middle English) comes from Old Norse lauss, from Proto-Germanic lausaz, from Proto-Indo-European lewH- — louse.

laus (Middle English): loose

Definitions

  1. loose

Ancestry of “laus”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norselaussloose
2Proto-Germaniclausazloose, free; empty, devoid; false, untrue
3Proto-Indo-EuropeanlewH-louse
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewH- →Every word from Proto-Germanic lausaz →Every word from Old Norse lauss →