Where does “liege” come from?
liege (Middle English) comes from Anglo-Norman lige, from Old French liege, from Vulgar Latin levius, from Latin lēvis, from Proto-Italic leɣʷis, from Proto-Indo-European h₁léngʰus, from Proto-Indo-European h₁lengʷʰ- — light.
liege (Middle English): Alternative form of lege
Definitions
- Alternative form of lege
Ancestry of “liege”, step by step
liege traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Anglo-Norman lige
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anglo-Norman | lige | liege; liegeman; vassal |
| 2 | Old French | liege | liege, servant; liege, free |
| 3 | Vulgar Latin | levius | comparative degree of leviter |
| 4 | Latin | lēvis | light, not heavy |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | leɣʷis | light |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁léngʰus | lightweight |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁lengʷʰ- | light |
via Middle French ligue
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | ligue | — |
| 2 | Italian | lega | league, gang |
| 3 | Italian | legare | to bind or tie; to unite; to connect |
| 4 | Latin | ligō | hoe, mattock |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | leyǵ- | to bind, tie |
via Late Latin leuca
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Late Latin | leuca | league, mile |