Etymology Explorer › Old English

Where does “lǣs” come from?

lǣs (Old English) comes from Proto-Germanic laisiz, from Proto-Indo-European leys- — to trace, to track.

lǣs (Old English): less, lest; meadow; pasture

Definitions

  1. less, lest; meadow; pasture

Ancestry of “lǣs”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Germaniclaisizsmaller, lesser; smaller, lesser, fewer, lower
2Proto-Indo-Europeanleys-to trace, to track

Words derived from “lǣs”

  • less
  • lesser
  • lass
  • lessness
  • natheless
  • lassy
  • kindless
  • dowryless
  • officeless
  • leasow
  • dairyless
  • lesserness
  • lasslorn
  • lesse
  • leesewe
  • lesewe
  • leswe
  • lese
  • lesse
  • leasse
  • lasse
  • les
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leys- →