Where does “lesse” come from?

lesse (Middle English) comes from Old English lǣs, from Proto-Germanic laisiz, from Proto-Indo-European leys- — to trace, to track.

Ancestry of “lesse”, step by step

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Old English	lǣs	less, lest; meadow; pasture
2	Proto-Germanic	laisiz	smaller, lesser; smaller, lesser, fewer, lower
3	Proto-Indo-European	leys-	to trace, to track

lesse — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer