Where does “leiken” come from?

leiken (Middle English) comes from Old Norse leika, from Proto-Germanic laikaną, from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ- — to bind, tie.

leiken (Middle English): to play, sport

Definitions

  1. to play, sport

Ancestry of “leiken”, step by step

leiken traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old Norse leika

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norseleikato play; plaything, doll; play-sister
2Proto-Germaniclaikanąto jump, play, move, swing about
3Proto-Indo-Europeanleyǵ-to bind, tie

via Old Norse leikinn

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norseleikinnplayful, gay

Words derived from “leiken”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic laikaną →Every word from Old Norse leika →