Etymology

livery

L1I1V4E1R1Y4

Today it means: Any distinctive identifying uniform worn by a group, such as the uniform worn by chauffeurs and male servants. Full definition →

Middle English livery ← Anglo-Norman liveree ← Old French livree
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livery · noun, verb1

  1. Old French · derived fromlivree
  2. Anglo-Norman · derived fromliveree
  3. Middle English · inherited fromlivery
  4. English todaylivery

From Middle English livery, liveree, from Anglo-Norman liveree, from Old French livree. Compare modern French livrée.

livery · adjective2

  1. Old English · inherited fromlifriġ“relating to the liver, livery”
  2. Middle English · inherited from*livery
  3. English todaylivery

From Middle English *livery, from Old English lifriġ (“relating to the liver, livery”), equivalent to liver + -y.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.