ledge

ledge · noun, verb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*legʰ-“to lie, recline”
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*lagjō“layer, stratum”
3. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*laggju“layer, strip, ledge, rung, bar”
4. Old English · inherited fromleċġ“bar, crossbeam”
5. Middle English · inherited fromlegge
6. English todayledge

From Middle English legge, from Old English leċġ (“bar, crossbeam”), from Proto-West Germanic *laggju (“layer, strip, ledge, rung, bar”), from Proto-Germanic *lagjō (“layer, stratum”), from Proto-Indo-European *legʰ- (“to lie, recline”). Cognate with West Frisian lêch (“a layer of sheaves on a threshing floor”), Dutch leg (“layer”), German Low German Legg (“wrinkle, fold, flat layer, stratum”), Middle High German legge, lecke (“position, layer, stratum, tier; pleat, hem”). Related to Middle English leggen (“to lay, apply”), from Old English leċġan (“to lay”); and Old English *ġeleċġ (“positioning, arrangement, layout”) as in Old English limġeleċġ (“the disposition of the limbs, form, shape”). More at lay.

ledge · noun²

Shortening of legislature.

Words from the same roots