Where does “listen” come from?
listen (Middle English) comes from Old English lystan, from Proto-Germanic *lustijan, from Proto-Germanic lustijaną, from Proto-Germanic lustuz, from Proto-Germanic lausaz, from Proto-Indo-European lewH- — louse.
listen (Middle English): to listen, give heed to
Ancestry of “listen”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | lystan | to please |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | *lustijan | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | lustijaną | to lust, desire |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | lustuz | lust, desire, want |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | lausaz | loose, free; empty, devoid; false, untrue |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | lewH- | louse |