Etymology

lawn

L1A1W4N1

Today it means: Ground (generally in front of or around a house) covered with grass kept closely mown. Full definition →

English laune ← Middle English launde ← Old French lande
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lawn · noun, verb1

  1. Proto-Indo-European*lendʰ-
  2. Proto-Germanic*landąder.?
  3. Proto-Indo-European*lendʰ-
  4. Proto-Celtic*landāder.?
  5. Vulgar Latin*landa?
  6. Old Frenchlande
  7. Middle Englishlaunde
  8. Englishlaund
  9. Englishlaune
  10. English todaylawn

Early Modern English laune (“turf, grassy area”), alteration of laund (“glade”), from Middle English launde, from Old French lande (“heath, moor”), of Germanic or Gaulish origin, from Proto-Germanic *landą (“land”) or Proto-Celtic *landā, both from Proto-Indo-European *lendʰ- (“land, heath”). Akin to Breton lann (“heath”), Old Norse & Old English land. Doublet of land and lande.

lawn · noun2

  1. Latin · derived fromLaudunum
  2. Old French · derived fromLan
  3. English todaylawn

Apparently from Laon, a French town known for its linen manufacturing, from Old French Lan, from Latin Laudunum, a Celtic name cognate with Lugdunum.

Lawn · proper noun3

  1. French · derived fromL'Âne“The Donkey/Ass”
  2. English todayLawn

(Canada): From French L'Âne (“The Donkey/Ass”). (United States): From lawn.

Words from the same roots

Middle Englishlaunde all →

lownlaund

Old Frenchlande all →

lande

Proto-Germanic*landą all →

landLancelotLanglielaund

Proto-Celtic*landā all →

laund

Proto-Indo-European*lendʰ- all →

landlendloinlumbagolaund

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.