lē-

To let go, slacken. Contracted from *leə₁-.

I. Extended form *lēd-.

1.

a. let¹, from Old English lǣtan, to allow, leave undone, from Germanic *lētan;

b. liege; allegiance, from Late Latin laetus, semifree colonist, from Germanic derivative *lēthigaz, freed.

2. Zero-grade form *ləd-.

a. late, latter, last¹, from Old English læt, late, with its comparative lætra, latter, and its superlative latost, last, from Germanic *lataz;

b. let², from Old English lettan, to hinder, impede (< “to make late”), from Germanic *latjan;

c. suffixed form *ləd-to-. lassitude; alas, from Latin lassus, tired, weary.

II. Suffixed basic form *lē-ni-. lenient, lenis, lenitive, lenity, from Latin lēnis, soft, gentle.

 

[Pokorny 3. lē(i)- 666.]

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