label

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*leb-“blade”
2. Proto-Germanic · derived from*lappǭ
3. Frankish · derived from*lappā“torn piece of cloth”
4. Old French · derived fromlabel
5. Middle English · inherited fromlabel“narrow band, strip of cloth”
6. English todaylabel

From Middle English label (“narrow band, strip of cloth”), from Old French label, lambel (Modern French lambeau), from Frankish *lappā (“torn piece of cloth”), from Proto-Germanic *lappǭ, *lappô (“cloth stuff, rag, scraps, flap, dewlap, lobe, rabbit ear”), from Proto-Indo-European *leb- (“blade”). Cognate with Old High German lappa (“rag, piece of cloth”), Old English læppa (“skirt, flap of a garment”). More at lap.

Words from the same roots