Etymograph

English

ally

Ally comes from Middle English allien ‘to ally’, from Latin adligō ‘to bind around, to, or up (something),…’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *leyǵ-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*leyǵ-‘to bind, tie’reconstructed
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEligō‘to bind, tie’
  3. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEadligō‘to bind around, to, or up (something), bandage, fasten, fetter, tie’
  4. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEalligāre
  5. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400alier
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500allien‘to ally’
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1577ally

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*leyǵ-‘to bind, tie’reconstructed
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEligō‘to bind, tie’
  3. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEadligō‘to bind around, to, or up (something), bandage, fasten, fetter, tie’
  4. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEalligāre
  5. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400alier
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500allien‘to ally’
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1577ally

Earliest quotation: 1577, Peter de la Place i.e. Pierre de la Plac, Of the Excellencie of a Christian Man, and the Way to Knowe : “To be ſhort, hauing thus ingrafted them into the…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *leyǵ- ‘to bind, tie’

obligation, oblige, 13 more

through Latin ligō ‘to bind, tie’

league, religious, religion, liable, liaison, ligament, lien, ligand, alloy, ligature, religiosity, obligate, liaise, ligation, legato, 14 more

Another origin of ally

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*leyǵ-‘to bind’uncertain
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEligō‘tie, bind up or together’
  3. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEalligō‘to bind to, up or around something, tie, fetter, fasten’
  4. Old Frenchc. 842–1400alier‘to unite’
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500allien‘to ally’
  6. Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500allie‘the state of having marital or family relations or linkage’
  7. Englishtodayally

Today it means

verb To unite or form a connection between (people or things), as between families by marriage, or between states by confederacy, league, or treaty.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *leyǵ- / ally

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