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

Definitions

  1. to listen, give heed to

Ancestry of “listen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishlystanto please
2Proto-Germanic*lustijan—
3Proto-Germaniclustijanąto lust, desire
4Proto-Germaniclustuzlust, desire, want
5Proto-Germaniclausazloose, free; empty, devoid; false, untrue
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanlewH-louse

Words derived from “listen”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewH- →Every word from Proto-Germanic lausaz →Every word from Proto-Germanic lustuz →