Where does “ladylik” come from?
ladylik (Swedish) comes from Swedish lik, from Old Swedish līk, from Old Norse lík, from Middle Low German līk, from Proto-Germanic līką, from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ- — to bind, tie.
ladylik (Swedish): ladylike
Definitions
- ladylike
Ancestry of “ladylik”, step by step
ladylik traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Swedish lik
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swedish | lik | like, similar to; like; corpse |
| 2 | Old Swedish | līk | shape, semblance, appearance |
| 3 | Old Norse | lík | leechline; body; leech |
| 4 | Middle Low German | līk | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | līką | body; corpse, dead body; leech-line, bolt-rope |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | leyǵ- | to bind, tie |
via Swedish lady
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swedish | lady | Lady |
| 2 | Middle English | lady | A woman with authority or leadership |
| 3 | Old English | hlǣfdīġe | bread-kneader; mistress of a household, wife of a... |
| 4 | Old English | hlāf | bread, loaf; bread, loaf, morsel; loaf, cake,... |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | hlaib | bread, loaf |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | hlaibaz | bread |