lady

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European*kʷel-der.?
2. Proto-Germanic*hlaibaz
3. Proto-West Germanic*hlaib
4. Old Englishhlāf
5. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeyǵʰ-
6. Proto-Germanic*daigijǭ
7. Old Englishdǣġe
8. Old Englishhlǣfdīġe
9. Middle Englishlady
10. English todaylady

From Middle English lady, laddy, lafdi, lavedi, from Old English hlǣfdīġe (“mistress of a household, wife of a lord, lady”, literally “bread-kneader”), from hlāf (“bread, loaf”) + dǣġe (“kneader”), related to Old English dǣġe (“maker of dough”) (whence dey (“dairymaid”)). Compare also lord. More at loaf, dairy, dough. Unrelated to lad.