Where does “tolve” come from?
tolve (West Frisian) comes from Old Frisian twelif, from Proto-Germanic twalif, from Proto-Germanic -lif, from Proto-Indo-European leyp-, from Proto-Indo-European lēy- — to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave...
tolve (West Frisian): twelve
Ancestry of “tolve”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Frisian | twelif | — |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | twalif | twelve |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | -lif | left over |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | leyp- | to stick; fat or sticky substance |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | lēy- | to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave... |