lair

lair · noun, verb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*legʰ-
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*legrą
3. Old English · inherited fromleġer“couch, bed”
4. Middle English · inherited fromleir
5. English todaylair

From Middle English leir, leire, lair, lare, from Old English leġer (“couch, bed”), from Proto-Germanic *legrą, from Proto-Indo-European *legʰ-.

lair · noun, verb²

1. Old Norse · derived fromleir“clay, mud”
2. English todaylair

From Old Norse leir (“clay, mud”). Compare Icelandic leir (“clay”).

lair · noun³

Backformation from lairy.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from c. 1420 A grave; a cemetery plot.