Etymology Explorer › Middle Low German

Where does “leider” come from?

leider (Middle Low German) comes from Old Saxon hlēderi, from Proto-West Germanic *hlaidriju, from Proto-Germanic hlaidrijō, from Proto-Indo-European ḱley-, from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- — to cover; to incline.

Ancestry of “leider”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Saxonhlēderi—
2Proto-West Germanic*hlaidriju—
3Proto-Germanichlaidrijōladder
4Proto-Indo-Europeanḱley-to shelter, cover; to lean, slope, incline
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱel-to cover; to incline

Words derived from “leider”

  • Ledder
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- →