Etymology Explorer › Old English

Where does “leaf” come from?

leaf (Old English) comes from Proto-Germanic laubō, from Proto-Indo-European lewbʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European lēw- — to sound, resound, sing out; to leave.

leaf (Old English): permission, privilege; permission, leave; leaf,...

Definitions

  1. permission, privilege; permission, leave; leaf,...

Ancestry of “leaf”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Germaniclaubōpermission
2Proto-Indo-Europeanlewbʰ-to desire, covet, want; to admire, praise; to...
3Proto-Indo-Europeanlēw-to sound, resound, sing out; to leave

Words derived from “leaf”

  • leaves
  • leaf
  • leverage
  • lever
  • leafy
  • levers
  • cantilever
  • leaflet
  • lief
  • overleaf
  • leafage
  • laver
  • broadleaf
  • flyleaf
  • longleaf
  • looseleaf
  • cloverleaf
  • leman
  • leaflike
  • microcantilever
  • nonleaf
  • bigleaf
  • shortleaf
  • leafmould
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lēw- →