Etymology

ladder

lad·der
L1A1D2D2E1R1

Today it means: A frame, usually portable, of wood, metal, or rope, used for ascent and descent, consisting of two side pieces to which are fastened rungs (cross strips or rounds acting as steps). Full definition →

Middle English ladder ← Old English hlǣder ← Proto-West Germanic *hlaidriju
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*ḱlóydʰrom
  2. Proto-Germanic · derived from*hlaidrijō
  3. Proto-West Germanic · derived from*hlaidriju
  4. Old English · derived fromhlǣder
  5. Middle English · inherited fromladder
  6. English todayladder

Inherited from Middle English ladder, laddre; from Old English hlǣder, from Proto-West Germanic *hlaidriju, from Proto-Germanic *hlaidrijō, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱlóydʰrom, from *ḱley- (“to lean”). Compare Scots ledder, North Frisian ladder, Saterland Frisian Laadere, West Frisian ljedder, Dutch ladder, German Leiter; also Old Irish clithar (“hedge”), and Umbrian 𐌊𐌋𐌄𐌈𐌓𐌀𐌌 (kleθram, “stretcher”). See lean, which is related to lid. Further cognates include Ashkun istrī, Kamkata-viri c̣ik, Prasuni čik, čix; Waigali c̣iř, Sanskrit श्रिति (śrití).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.