lew

lew · noun¹

1. French · derived fromlouis
2. English todaylew

From corruption of French louis, from Louis, presumably Louis IX or Louis XI, who issued gold écus.

lew · adjective, noun, verb²

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*ḱal(w)e-
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*hliwjaz
3. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*hliwi
4. Old English · inherited from*hlēowe
5. Middle English · inherited fromlew
6. English todaylew

From Middle English lew, lewe, from Old English *hlēowe, *hlīewe (attested adverbially in hlēowe (“warmly”) and as ġehlēowe, ġehlīewe (“warm, sunny, sheltered”), unhlēowe (“not warm, chill”)), from Proto-West Germanic *hliwi, from Proto-Germanic *hliwjaz, *hlēwaz (“warm, lukewarm”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱal(w)e-, *ḱlēw- (“warm, hot”). Cognate with Old Norse hlýr (“warm, mild”), ( > Danish ly (“lukewarm”)), hlær, German lau, which are themselves akin to Old Norse hlé (“lee”), Danish læ (“shelter”). Compare lee.

lew · adjective³

Uncertain, but compare Old English ġelewed (“weakness, infirmity”) and limlǣweo (“limb-weak, lame”). Possibly related to Proto-Germanic *laiwą (“damage”); compare Old Norse læ (“venom, bane”).

lew · interjection⁴

Variant of lo (q.v.).

lew · verb⁵

Variant of lue (q.v.).

Words from the same roots