Where does “leynen” come from?
leynen (Middle English) comes from Old English līeġnan, from Proto-West Germanic *laugnijan, from Proto-Germanic laugnijaną, from Proto-Germanic laugnō — secrecy.
Ancestry of “leynen”, step by step
leynen traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old English līeġnan
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | līeġnan | to deny; conceal |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | *laugnijan | to conceal; gainsay; deny |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | laugnijaną | to conceal; gainsay; deny |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | laugnō | secrecy |
via Old Norse leyna
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | leyna | to conceal |