Etymology Explorer › Old French

Where does “liege” come from?

liege (Old French) comes from Vulgar Latin levius, from Latin lēvis, from Proto-Italic leɣʷis, from Proto-Indo-European h₁léngʰus, from Proto-Indo-European h₁lengʷʰ- — light.

liege (Old French): liege, servant; liege, free

Definitions

  1. liege, servant; liege, free

Ancestry of “liege”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Vulgar Latinleviuscomparative degree of leviter
2Latinlēvis—
3Proto-Italicleɣʷis—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁léngʰuslightweight
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁lengʷʰ-light

Words derived from “liege”

  • legs
  • leg
  • league
  • ledge
  • ley
  • lea
  • liege
  • Legge
  • bootleg
  • foreleg
  • leggy
  • bootlegging
  • legwork
  • bootlegger
  • blackleg
  • legging
  • liegeman
  • dogleg
  • ledged
  • legroom
  • interleague
  • midleg
  • proleg
  • ledgment
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁lengʷʰ- →