Etymology

lown

L1O1W4N1

Today it means: Calm, tranquillity. Full definition →

First used 13th c.Middle English lune ← Old Norse logn ← Proto-Norse *lugna
Ask AI about its historyChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

lown · noun, adjective1

  1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*lewk-“bright”
  2. Proto-Norse · derived from*lugna
  3. Old Norse · derived fromlogn“windstillness”
  4. Middle English · inherited fromlune
  5. English todaylown

From Middle English lune, borrowed from Old Norse logn (“windstillness”), from Proto-Norse *lugna, meaning "place where the water is smooth", ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *lewk- (“bright”), referring to shining water. Germanic cognates include Icelandic lón, Danish lyn (“lightning”), Swedish lugn (“calm water”).

lown · noun2

See loon.

Lown · proper noun3

  1. Middle English · derived fromlaunde“glade”
  2. English todayLown

* As an English surname, variant of Lond, from Middle English launde (“glade”). Possibly also a variant of Lund. Compare Lon. * As a Dutch surname, named after Louvain in Belgium.

Words from the same roots

Middle Englishlune all →

luna

Proto-Indo-European*lewk- all →

lowlightlighterlunarlynxmoonlightlevinluxillustriouslumelucidatealightluminaryillumineleamlosselimnpellucidluminationsublunary

Middle Englishlaunde all →

lawnlaund

First known use, by meaning

  • from 13th c. Calm, tranquillity.
  • from 17th c. A shelter; a calm or peaceful place.
  • from 15th c. Peaceful, calm.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.