Where does “lene” come from?
lene (Middle English) comes from Old English hlǣne, from Proto-Germanic hlainijaną, from Proto-Germanic hlināną, from Proto-Indo-European ḱley-, from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- — to cover; to incline.
lene (Middle English): lean
Definitions
- lean
Ancestry of “lene”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | hlǣne | lean |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | hlainijaną | to lean, cause to lean |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | hlināną | to lean |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱley- | to shelter, cover; to lean, slope, incline |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱel- | to cover; to incline |