English
lias
Lias comes from Old French liois ‘compact limestone’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *legʰ- ‘to lie’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*legʰ-‘to lie’root as named
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500liae
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400liois‘compact limestone’
- Englishtodaylias
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*legʰ-‘to lie’root as named
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500liae
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400liois‘compact limestone’
- Englishtodaylias
The story
Originally dialectal, from Old French liois (‘compact limestone’) (French liais), from Medieval Latin liae, plural of lia; doublet of lees (which is via Latin lias).
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *legʰ- ‘to lie’
law, low, college, legal, fellow, lawyer, lay, layer, legacy, log, lie, loyal, colleague, delegation, delegate, lex, ledger, ledge, litter, lawless, lair, collegiate, lees, legate, leaguer, leal, collegium, underlay, lagan, lig, 22 more
Today it means
noun A type of blue limestone present in parts of southern England and Wales.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *legʰ- / lias