Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/lāsu

This Proto-West Germanic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-West Germanic

Etymology

Speculated from Pre-Germanic *leh₁d(s)tweh₂, equivalent to Proto-Germanic *lētaną (“to let”) +‎ *-þwō. However since this word is restricted to Saxon, a borrowing from Proto-Slavic *lěsъ (“grove”) is attractive. Its actual cognate could be Latin lūcus (“grove, wood”).

Noun

*lāsu f

1. letting, allowing
2. pasture

Inflection

wō-stem
	Singular
Nominative	*lāsu
Genitive	*lāswā
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	*lāsu	*lāswō
Accusative	*lāswā	*lāswā
Genitive	*lāswā	*lāswō
Dative	*lāswē	*lāswōm, *lāsum
Instrumental	*lāsu	*lāswōm, *lāsum

Alternative reconstructions

• *laisu, *lēsu

Descendants

• Old English: lǣs (“a letting, allowance”)
  • ⇒ Old English: blōdlǣs (“blood-letting”)
  • ⇒ Old English: blōdlǣswu (“blood-letting”)
• Old English: lǣs (“pasture, leasow”)
  • Middle English: leswe, lesewe, leesewe
    • Scots: lesu, lesoue; lesour, lesure
    • English: lease; lessow, leasow
• Old Saxon: lēsa; lās (“meadow; pasture; leigh; clearing in the woods”)