English
lease
Lease comes from Latin laxō ‘to loose’.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElaxō‘to loose’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400*leserreconstructed
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500*lesenreconstructed
- Englishearliest quotation 1609lease
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history not traced here.
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElaxō‘to loose’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400*leserreconstructed
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500*lesenreconstructed
- Englishearliest quotation 1609lease
Earliest quotation: 1609, William Shakespeare, Sonnet 18: “Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,…”
Linked words
through Latin laxō ‘to loose’
Another origin of lease
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*les-‘to gather’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*lesaną‘to gather’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*lesanreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150lesan‘to collect, pick, select, gather’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500lesen
- Englishtodaylease
Another origin of lease
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*lewh₁-‘to cut, sever, separate, loosen, lose’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*lewHs-reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*leusaną‘to lose’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*lausaz‘loose, free’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*laus‘loose, free, vacant’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150lēas‘falsehood, lying, untruth, mistake’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150lēasian‘to lie, tell lies’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500lesen‘to lie’
- Englishtodaylease
Another origin of lease
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*lēswōreconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*lāsu‘meadow’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150lǣs‘meadow’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500lese‘Pasture’
- Englishtodaylease
Today it means
noun An interest in land granting exclusive use or occupation of real estate for a limited period; a leasehold.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin laxō / lease