Where does “niþerlic” come from?

niþerlic (Old English) comes from Old English līċ, from Proto-West Germanic līk, from Proto-Germanic līką, from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ- — to bind, tie.

niþerlic (Old English): low

Definitions

  1. low

Ancestry of “niþerlic”, step by step

niþerlic traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old English līċ

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishlīċbody
2Proto-West Germaniclīkbody
3Proto-Germaniclīkąbody; corpse, dead body; leech-line, bolt-rope
4Proto-Indo-Europeanleyǵ-to bind, tie

via Old English niþer

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishniþerdown; downstairs
2Proto-Germanicniþerdown, downwards
3Proto-Indo-Europeanniter—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic līką →Every word from Proto-West Germanic līk →