Etymology Explorer › Middle High German

Where does “lachen” come from?

lachen (Middle High German) comes from Old High German lahhen, from Proto-West Germanic hlahhjan, from Proto-Germanic hlahjaną, from Proto-Indo-European klek- — to laugh, cackle.

lachen (Middle High German): to laugh

Definitions

  1. to laugh

Ancestry of “lachen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old High Germanlahhen—
2Proto-West Germanichlahhjanto laugh
3Proto-Germanichlahjanąto laugh
4Proto-Indo-Europeanklek-to laugh, cackle

Words derived from “lachen”

  • lachen
  • auslachen
  • Lachmöwe
  • lachhaft
  • לאַכן
Every word from Proto-Indo-European klek- →