Where does “lime” come from?

lime (Middle English) comes from Old English līm, from Proto-Germanic līmaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₂leyH-, from Proto-Indo-European leyh₂- — to die, disapear; to avoid, elude, decline,...

lime (Middle English): Alternative form of lyme

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of lyme

Ancestry of “lime”, step by step

lime traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old English līm

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishlīmglue
2Proto-Germaniclīmazglue, lime
3Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂leyH-to smear
4Proto-Indo-Europeanleyh₂-to die, disapear; to avoid, elude, decline,...

via Old English lim

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishlimlimb, bodily member; branch; glue; mortar, paste,...
2Proto-Germaniclimuzlimb; member; branch; twig
3Proto-Indo-Europeanel-to bend; red, brown; hungry
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leyh₂- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂leyH- →Every word from Proto-Germanic līmaz →