Where does “lēof” come from?

lēof (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.

lēof (Old English): lief, dear

Definitions

  1. lief, dear

Ancestry of “lēof”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1West Germanic*leub—
2Proto-Germanicleubazdear, beloved
3Proto-Indo-Europeanlewbʰ-to desire, covet, want; to admire, praise; to...
4Proto-Indo-Europeanlēw-to sound, resound, sing out; to leave

Words derived from “lēof”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European lēw- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewbʰ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic leubaz →
lēof — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer