English
eyelid
Eyelid comes from Proto-West Germanic *hlid ‘lid, cover’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *ḱley-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱley-‘to shelter, cover’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱlitós‘covered’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱlitóm‘that which is covered’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*hlidą‘lid, cover’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*hlid‘lid, cover’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanic, derivedc. 200–500 CE*augahlidreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150*ēaghlidreconstructed
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500eyelidd
- Englishearliest quotation 1611eyelid
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱley-‘to shelter, cover’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱlitós‘covered’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱlitóm‘that which is covered’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*hlidą‘lid, cover’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*hlid‘lid, cover’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanic, derivedc. 200–500 CE*augahlidreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150*ēaghlidreconstructed
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500eyelidd
- Englishearliest quotation 1611eyelid
Earliest quotation: 1611, The Holy Bible, London: […] Robert Barker: “By his neeſings a light doth ſhine, and his…”
The story
Generally superseded non-native Middle English palpebre (‘eyelid’), borrowed from Latin palpebra (‘eyelid’) (see Modern English palpebra).
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ḱley- ‘to shelter, cover’
law, low, climate, decline, lean, ladder, climax, inclination, incline, clinician, cline, declension, proclivity, declination, 26 more
through Proto-West Germanic *hlid ‘lid, cover’
Today it means
noun A thin skin membrane that covers and moves over an eye.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ḱley- / eyelid