Where does “twelve” come from?
twelve (Middle English) comes from Old English twelf, from Proto-Germanic twalif, from Proto-Germanic -lif, from Proto-Indo-European leyp-, from Proto-Indo-European lēy- — to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave...
twelve (Middle English): twelve
Ancestry of “twelve”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | twelf | twelve |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | twalif | twelve |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | -lif | left over |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | leyp- | to stick; fat or sticky substance |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | lēy- | to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave... |
Words derived from “twelve”