English
lea
Lea comes from Old English lēah ‘clearing in a forest’, from Proto-West Germanic *lauh ‘meadow’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *lewk- ‘bright’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*lewk-‘bright’root as named
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*lówkos‘field, meadow’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*lauhaz‘meadow’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*lauh‘meadow’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150lēah‘clearing in a forest’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500legh
- Englishearliest quotation 1750lea
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*lewk-‘bright’root as named
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*lówkos‘field, meadow’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*lauhaz‘meadow’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*lauh‘meadow’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150lēah‘clearing in a forest’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500legh
- Englishearliest quotation 1750lea
Earliest quotation: 1750, Thomas Gray: “The curfew tolls the knell of parting day, The…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *lewk- ‘bright’
light, low, link, los, lucy, ounce, lunar, luna, illumination, lux, illuminate, lucid, luminous, translucent, lumen, lynx, luce, luminosity, lumia, lum, lune, loach, luminescent, luminary, luminal, leucine, 75 more
through Old English lēah ‘clearing in a forest’
through Middle English legh
Another origin of lea
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500le
- Englishtodaylea
Today it means
noun An open field, meadow, pasture.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *lewk- / lea