Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “lissen” come from?

lissen (Middle English) comes from Old English lissan, from Old English liss, from Old English līþs, from Old English liþe, from Proto-West Germanic linþ(ī), from Proto-Germanic linþaz, from Proto-Indo-European léntos.

Ancestry of “lissen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishlissanto subdue
2Old Englishliss—
3Old Englishlīþsgrace, favor, love, kindness, mercy, joy, peace,...
4Old Englishliþegentle, mild; pleasant
5Proto-West Germaniclinþ(ī)gentle
6Proto-Germaniclinþazbendsome; flexible; pliable; supple; weak; soft;...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanléntos—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European léntos →