Where does “plyghten” come from?

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

Ancestry of “plyghten”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishplightrisk, danger; risky promise, peril
2Old Englishplihtdanger, risk
3Proto-West Germanicplihticare, maintenance, diligence; responsibility,...
4Proto-West Germanicplehanto stand up for; to be responsible for
Every word from Proto-West Germanic plehan →