bleach

bleach · noun, verb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*bʰel-“to shine”
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*blaikijaną
3. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*blaikijan
4. Old English · inherited fromblǣċan“to bleach, whiten”
5. Middle English · inherited fromblechen
6. English todaybleach

From Middle English blechen, from Old English blǣċan (“to bleach, whiten”), from Proto-West Germanic *blaikijan, from Proto-Germanic *blaikijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to shine”). Cognate with Dutch bleken (“to bleach”), German bleichen (“to bleach”), Danish blege, Swedish bleka (“to bleach”). Related to Old English blāc (“pale”) (English blake; compare also bleak).

bleach · noun²

1. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*blaikį̄“paleness”
2. Old English · inherited fromblǣċu
3. Middle English · inherited frombleche
4. English todaybleach

From Middle English bleche, from Old English blǣċu, blǣċo (“paleness, pallor”), from Proto-Germanic *blaikį̄ (“paleness”). See Etymology 1 above.

bleach · adjective³

1. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*blaikaz“pale, shining”
2. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*blaik
3. Old English · inherited fromblǣċ
4. Middle English · inherited frombleche
5. English todaybleach

From Middle English bleche (also bleke), from Old English blǣċ, blǣc, variants of blāc (“bright, shining, glittering”), from Proto-West Germanic *blaik, from Proto-Germanic *blaikaz (“pale, shining”). More at bleak.

bleach · noun⁴

1. Old English · inherited fromblǣċe“irritation of the skin, leprosy; psoriasis”
2. Middle English · inherited frombleche
3. English todaybleach

From Middle English bleche, from Old English blǣċe (“irritation of the skin, leprosy; psoriasis”).

Words from the same roots