Where does “leaden” come from?
leaden (Middle English) comes from Middle English leden, from Old English lēoden, from Old English -en, from Old Norse -inn, from Proto-Norse -īna-, from Proto-Germanic -īnaz, from Proto-Indo-European -iHnos, from Proto-Indo-European -no- — adjectival suffix.
leaden (Middle English): Alternative form of leden
Definitions
- Alternative form of leden
Ancestry of “leaden”, step by step
leaden traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English leden
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | leden | to lead; to carry, take, bring; to put, place,... |
| 2 | Old English | lēoden | national or popular language; national language;... |
| 3 | Old English | -en | mæġþ + API → mæġden; cocc + API → cycen, cicen;... |
| 4 | Old Norse | -inn | Used to create adjectives from nouns, meaning... |
| 5 | Proto-Norse | -īna- | — |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | -īnaz | -en |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -iHnos | Creates adjectives of materials |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -no- | adjectival suffix |
via Old English lēaden
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | lēaden | leaden, of lead |