Etymograph

English

low

Low comes from Middle English lāh, from Old Norse lágr, from Proto-Germanic *lēgaz, ultimately from PIE *legʰ- ‘to lie’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*legʰ-‘to lie’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*légʰyeti‘to be lying down’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*ligjaną‘to lie’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*lēgaz‘low’reconstructed
  5. Old Norsec. 800–1350lágr
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500lāh
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1598–1599low

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*legʰ-‘to lie’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*légʰyeti‘to be lying down’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*ligjaną‘to lie’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*lēgaz‘low’reconstructed
  5. Old Norsec. 800–1350lágr
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500lāh
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1598–1599low

Earliest quotation: 1598–1599, Much Adoe about Nothing: “Speak low if you speak love.”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *legʰ- ‘to lie’

law, college, legal, lawyer, layer, legacy, fellow, colleague, delegation, loyalty, loyal, litter, delegate, lex, ledger, collegiate, ledge, lawless, lair, lees, legate, leaguer, lig, leal, collegium, underlay, lagan, lias, 21 more

through Proto-Germanic *ligjaną ‘to lie’

lie, lay, log, 1 more

Another origin of low

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kelh₁-‘to call’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*hlōaną‘to call’reconstructed
  3. Old Englishc. 450–1150hlōwan‘to low’
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500lowen‘to low’
  5. Englishtodaylow

Another origin of low

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*lewk-‘light’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*lugô‘flame, blaze’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Norsec. 200–800 CE*luȝatransliteratedrunes *ᛚᚢᚷᚨreconstructed
  4. Old Norsec. 800–1350logi‘fire, flame, sword’
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500lowe‘Fire, blazing’
  6. Englishtodaylow

Today it means

adj Situated close to, or even below, the ground or another normal reference plane; not high or lofty.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *legʰ- / low

Shirt and support for this word