Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “lyfles” come from?

lyfles (Middle English) comes from Old English līflēas, from Old English līf, from Proto-West Germanic līb, from Proto-Germanic lībą, from Proto-Germanic lībaną, from Proto-Indo-European leyp-, from Proto-Indo-European lēy- — to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave...

Ancestry of “lyfles”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishlīflēaslifeless
2Old Englishlīflife, existence; life-time
3Proto-West Germaniclībbody; life
4Proto-Germaniclībąbody; life
5Proto-Germaniclībanąto remain, to be left
6Proto-Indo-Europeanleyp-to stick; fat or sticky substance
7Proto-Indo-Europeanlēy-to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave...

Words derived from “lyfles”

  • lifeless
  • lifelessly
  • lifelessness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lēy- →