Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “loth” come from?

loth (Middle English) comes from Middle English wite, from Old English wīte, from Proto-West Germanic wītī, from Proto-Germanic witją, from Proto-Germanic *witaną, from Proto-Indo-European wóyde, from Proto-Indo-European weyd- — to see.

loth (Middle English): displeasing, hateful, unpleasant; horrible,...

Definitions

  1. displeasing, hateful, unpleasant; horrible,...

Ancestry of “loth”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishwiteguilt, blameworthiness, blame, wrongdoing,...
2Old Englishwītepenalty; punishment, pain, torment
3Proto-West Germanicwītīpunishment
4Proto-Germanicwitjąknowledge; reason; sense; understanding; wit
5Proto-Germanic*witaną—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwóydeto have seen, to know
7Proto-Indo-Europeanweyd-to see

Words derived from “loth”

  • loath
  • loathy
  • loathest
  • laith
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyd- →