Etymology Explorer › Portuguese

Where does “Liverpool” come from?

Liverpool (Portuguese) comes from English Liverpool, from Middle English Liverpul, from Old English læfer, from Latin laver, from Latin lavo, from Proto-Italic lawaō, from Proto-Indo-European léwh₃eti, from Proto-Indo-European lewh₃- — to wash.

Ancestry of “Liverpool”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishLiverpoolcity in England
2Middle EnglishLiverpul—
3Old Englishlæferreed, rush
4Latinlavera water-plant, possibly water parsnip;...
5LatinlavoI wash, bathe; I wet, moisten
6Proto-Italiclawaō—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanléwh₃eti—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanlewh₃-to wash
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewh₃- →