Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “plight” come from?

plight (Middle English) comes from Old English pliht, from Proto-West Germanic plihti, from Proto-West Germanic plehan — to stand up for; to be responsible for.

plight (Middle English): risk, danger; risky promise, peril

Definitions

  1. risk, danger; risky promise, peril

Ancestry of “plight”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishplihtdanger, risk
2Proto-West Germanicplihticare, maintenance, diligence; responsibility,...
3Proto-West Germanicplehanto stand up for; to be responsible for

Words derived from “plight”

  • plight
  • ply
  • plywood
  • plying
  • pliers
  • plier
  • trothplight
  • plyboard
  • plighter
  • pliest
  • overply
  • plycount
  • two-ply
  • nonplywood
  • プライヤ
  • plywood
  • plit
  • playis
  • plaias
  • plais
Every word from Proto-West Germanic plehan →