Where does “län” come from?
län (Old Swedish) comes from Middle Low German lēn, from Old Norse lén, from Middle Low German lehen, from Proto-Germanic laihną, from Proto-Indo-European leykʷ- — to leave.
Ancestry of “län”, step by step
län traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle Low German lēn
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle Low German | lēn | — |
| 2 | Old Norse | lén | fief, fee; royal grant or emoulement; royal... |
| 3 | Middle Low German | lehen | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | laihną | that which is lent, loan; fief |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | leykʷ- | to leave |
via Old Norse lán
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | lán | loan; luck |