Where does “slêpen” come from?
slêpen (Middle Low German) comes from Proto-West Germanic *sleupan, from Proto-Germanic sleupaną, from Proto-Indo-European slewb(ʰ)- — to slip, glide.
slêpen (Middle Low German): to drag, slight
Ancestry of “slêpen”, step by step
slêpen traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Proto-West Germanic *sleupan
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Proto-West Germanic | *sleupan | to sneak, to creep (move stealthily) |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | sleupaną | To creep, slink, sneak, slip |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | slewb(ʰ)- | to slip, glide |
via Old Saxon slēpian
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Saxon | slēpian | — |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | slaipijan | to pull along, to drag |
Words derived from “slêpen”