Where does “leof” come from?
leof (Old English) comes from West Germanic *leub, from Proto-Germanic leubaz, from Proto-Indo-European lewbʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European lēw- — to sound, resound, sing out; to leave.
leof (Old English): lief, dear
Ancestry of “leof”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | West Germanic | *leub | — |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | leubaz | dear, beloved |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | lewbʰ- | to desire, covet, want; to admire, praise; to... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | lēw- | to sound, resound, sing out; to leave |
Words derived from “leof”