Where does “lot” come from?
lot (Middle English) comes from Old English hlot, from Proto-West Germanic *hlut, from Proto-Germanic hlutą, from Proto-Indo-European ḱlew-, from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- — to cover; to incline.
Ancestry of “lot”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | hlot | portion, share, lot; choice, decision |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | *hlut | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | hlutą | lot, share; fate |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱlew- | to hear |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱel- | to cover; to incline |