English
gleecraft
Gleecraft comes from Old English glēocræft ‘minstrelsy, music, gleecraft’, from glēo ‘joy, glee’, and ultimately from Proto-Germanic *glīwą.
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*glīwą‘joy, music, entertainment, jesting, sport’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*glīwreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150glēo‘joy, glee’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150glēocræft‘minstrelsy, music, gleecraft’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500gleocræft
- Englishearliest quotation 1898gleecraft
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*glīwą‘joy, music, entertainment, jesting, sport’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*glīwreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150glēo‘joy, glee’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150glēocræft‘minstrelsy, music, gleecraft’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500gleocræft
- Englishearliest quotation 1898gleecraft
Earliest quotation: 1898, William Marshall: “Other things earthen, as they fade and crumble, Sing…”
Formed from glee + -craft
Proto-Indo-European *gʰlew- ‘to joke, make fun, enjoy’
Proto-Germanic *glīwą ‘joy, mirth’
Proto-West Germanic *glīw
Old English glēo ‘glee, pleasure, mirth, play, sport’
Middle English gle
English glee
Every English word from Proto-Germanic *glīwą
Today it means
noun Music; the art of music.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Germanic *glīwą / gleecraft