English
lightsome
Lightsome comes from Middle English lightsum ‘bright’, from Old English lēoht ‘light, daylight’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *lewk-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*lewk-‘light’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*lewktomreconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*leuhtą‘light’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*leuht‘light’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150lēoht‘light, daylight’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500light‘the radiation which allows for vision by brightening objects and colours’
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500lightsum‘bright’
- Englishearliest quotation 1590lightsome
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*lewk-‘light’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*lewktomreconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*leuhtą‘light’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*leuht‘light’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150lēoht‘light, daylight’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500light‘the radiation which allows for vision by brightening objects and colours’
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500lightsum‘bright’
- Englishearliest quotation 1590lightsome
Earliest quotation: 1590, Edmund Spenser, Book III, Canto VII: “While in their mothers wombe enclosd they were, /…”
Formed from light ‘bright’ + -some
Proto-Indo-European *lewk- ‘to shine’
…
Proto-Germanic *leuhtą
Proto-West Germanic *leuht ‘light’
Old English lēoht
Middle English light ‘light, illumination’
English light
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *lewk- ‘light’
low, los, link, lucy, ounce, lunar, luna, lea, illumination, lux, illuminate, lucid, luminous, translucent, twilight, lynx, luce, luminosity, lumen, lumia, lum, lune, loach, leucine, luminescent, luminary, luminal, 74 more
Today it means
adj Characterised by light; luminous; emitting or manifesting light; radiant.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *lewk- / lightsome