leip-

To stick, adhere; fat.

Derivatives include life and liver¹.

1. life, lively, from Old English līf, life (< “continuance”), from Germanic *lībam.

2.

a. live¹, from Old English lifian, libban, to live;

b. lebensraum, from Old High German lebēn, to live. Both a and b from Germanic *libēn.

3.

a. leave¹, from Old English lǣfan, to leave, have remaining;

b. delay, relay, from Old French laier, to leave, from Frankish *laibjan. Both a and b from o-grade Germanic causative *-laibjan.

4. liver¹, from Old English lifer, liver (formerly believed to be the blood-producing organ), from Germanic *librō.

5. Zero-grade form *lip-. lipo-, from Greek lipos, fat.

6. Variant form *əleibh-. aliphatic; synalepha, from Greek aleiphein, to anoint with oil.

 

[Pokorny 1. leip- 670.]

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