Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “leef” come from?

leef (Middle English) comes from Old English lēaf, from Proto-Germanic laubō, from Proto-Indo-European lewbʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European lēw- — to sound, resound, sing out; to leave.

leef (Middle English): leaf

Definitions

  1. leaf

Ancestry of “leef”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishlēafpermission, privilege; permission, leave; leaf,...
2Proto-Germaniclaubōpermission
3Proto-Indo-Europeanlewbʰ-to desire, covet, want; to admire, praise; to...
4Proto-Indo-Europeanlēw-to sound, resound, sing out; to leave

Words derived from “leef”

  • leaves
  • leaf
  • leverage
  • lever
  • leafy
  • levers
  • cantilever
  • leaflet
  • overleaf
  • leafage
  • laver
  • broadleaf
  • flyleaf
  • longleaf
  • looseleaf
  • cloverleaf
  • leaflike
  • microcantilever
  • nonleaf
  • bigleaf
  • shortleaf
  • leafmould
  • bileaflet
  • leafroll
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lēw- →