Etymology dictionary
limpid (adj.) — liquidate (v.)
limpid (adj.)
c. 1600, from French limpide (15c.) and directly from Latin limpidus "clear, transparent" (source also of Spanish límpido, Italian limpido), related to limpor "a clear liquid," limpa "water goddess, water," which is perhaps cognate with lympha "clear liquid" (see lymph). Related: Limpidly.
limpidity (n.)
1650s, from French limpidité or directly from Late Latin limpiditatem (nominative limpiditas) "clarity, clearness," from Latin limpidus "clear, transparent" (see limpid). Bailey's dictionary (1727) has limpitude.
limpsy (adj.)
also limsy, 1825, a colloquial New England form of limp (adj.). For the formation, compare cutesy, flimsy, tricksy, tipsy. Also compare whimsy, older drowsy.
limulus (n.)
horseshoe crab, king crab, representative genus of the biological family Limulidae, 1837, Modern Latin, from Latin limulus "somewhat askance," diminutive of limus "askance." The genus classification involved the number and position of the eyes.
linage (n.)
1883, "position in a line," from line (n.) + -age. From 1884 as a rough measure of printed material from the number of lines of text. Also "a payment or charge per line of print" (1888).
linament (n.)
"lint rolled and used for dressing wounds," 1620s, from Latin linamentum "linen stuff," from linum (see linen).
linch (n.)
Old English lynis "linchpin," now obsolete; see linchpin.
linchpin (n.)
also linch-pin, "peg that holds a wheel on an axle" (now mainly figurative), late 14c., a corruption of linspin, literally "axle-pin," from pin (n.) + from Middle English lins "axle," from Proto-Germanic *luniso (source also of Old Saxon lunisa, Middle Dutch lunse, Dutch luns, German Lünse), a word of uncertain origin.
Lincoln
county town of Lincolnshire, Old English Lindcylene, from Latin Lindum Colonia from a Latinized form of British *lindo "pool, lake" (corresponding to Welsh llyn). Originally a station for retired IX Legion veterans. Lincoln green as a type of dyed cloth fabric made there is from c. 1500.
In reference to U.S. president Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), Lincolnesque is from 1894 (earliest reference is to the beard); Lincolniana is from 1862.
lind (n.)
"the linden tree," Old English lind; see linden.
linden (n.)
"lime tree," 1570s, noun use of an adjective, "of linden wood," from Old English lind "linden" (n.), from Proto-Germanic *lindjo (source also of Old Saxon linda, Old Norse lind, Old High German linta, German linde), probably from PIE *lent-o- "flexible" (see lithe); with reference to the tree's pliant bast. Compare Russian lutĭijó "forest of lime trees," Polish łęt "switch, twig," Lithuanian lenta "board, plank."
For modern tree names from adjectives, compare aspen. OED suggests the use of the adjective as a noun is at least partly creditable to "translations of a German romance" (German linden is the plural form and the form used in compounds).
Lindy Hop (n.)
popular dance, 1931, it originated in Harlem, N.Y., named for Lindy, nickname of U.S. aviator Charles A. Lindbergh (1902-1974) who in 1927 made the first solo nonstop trans-Atlantic flight. The lind in the surname would mean "linden."
line (n.)
a Middle English merger of Old English line "cable, rope; series, row, row of letters; rule, direction," and Old French ligne "guideline, cord, string; lineage, descent" (12c.), both from Latin linea "linen thread, string, plumb-line," also "a mark, bound, limit, goal; line of descent," short for linea restis "linen cord," and similar phrases, from fem. of lineus (adj.) "of linen," from linum "linen" (see linen).
The earliest sense in Middle English was "cord used by builders for taking measurements;" extended late 14c. to "a thread-like mark" (from sense "cord used by builders for making things level," mid-14c.), also "track, course, direction." Meaning "limit, boundary" (of a county, etc.) is from 1590s. The mathematical sense of "length without breadth" is from 1550s. From 1530s as "a crease of the face or palm of the hand." From 1580s as "the equator."
Sense of "things or people arranged in a straight line" is from 1550s. Now considered American English, where British English uses queue (n.), but the sense appears earliest in English writers. Sense of "chronologically continuous series of persons" (a line of kings, etc.) is from late 14c.
Meaning "one's occupation, branch of business" is from 1630s, according to OED probably from misunderstood KJV translation of II Corinthians x.16, "And not to boast in another mans line of things made ready to our hand," where line translates Greek kanon which probably meant "boundary, limit;" the phrase "in another man's line" being parenthetical.
Commercial meaning "class of goods in stock" is from 1930, so called from being goods received by the merchant on a line in the specific sense "order given to an agent" for particular goods (1834). Insurance underwriting sense is from 1899. Line of credit is from 1958.
Meaning "series of public conveyances" (coaches, later ships) is from 1786; meaning "continuous part of a railroad" is from 1825. Meaning "telegraph wire between stations" is from 1847 (later "telephone wire"). Meaning "cord bearing hooks used in fishing" is from c. 1300. Meaning "policy or set of policies of a political faction" is 1892, American English, from notion of a procession of followers; this is the sense in the political party line, and, deteriorated, it is the slang line that means "glib and plausible talk meant to deceive."
In British army, the Line (1802) is the regular, numbered troops, as distinguished from guards, auxiliaries, militia, etc. In the Navy (1704) it refers to the battle line (the sense in ship of the line, which is attested from 1706).
Dutch lijn, Old High German lina, German Leine, Old Norse lina "a cord, rope," are likewise from Latin. Spanish and Italian have the word in the learned form linea. In continental measurements, a subdivision of an inch (one-tenth or one-twelfth in England), attested in English from 1660s but never common. Also see lines.
To get a line on "acquire information about" is from 1903. To lay it on the line is from 1929 as "to pay money;" by 1954 as "speak plainly." End of the line "as far as one can go" is from 1948. One's line of work, meaning "pursuit, interest" is from 1957, earlier line of country (1861). Line-drawing is from 1891. A line-storm (1850) is a type supposed to happen in the 10 days or two weeks around the times the sun crosses the equator.
line (v.1)
"to cover the inner side of" (clothes, garments, etc.), late 14c., from Old English lin "linen cloth" (see linen). Linen was frequently used in the Middle Ages as a second layer of material on the inner side of a garment. Hence, by extension, "to fill the insides of" (1510s). Related: Lined; lining.
lining (n.)
late 14c., "stuff with which garments are lined," verbal noun from Middle English linen "to line" (see line (v.1)). Extended use, "covering or inner surface of anything," is from 1713. Meaning "action of providing with a lining" is from 1839.
line (v.2)
late 14c., "to tie with a cord," from line (n.). Meaning "to mark or mark off with lines" is from mid-15c. Sense of "arrange a line" is from 1640s, originally military; that of "to join a line" is by 1773. To line up is by 1864 as "form a good line, be in alignment;" 1889 as "form a line," in U.S. football; transitive sense "make into a line" is by 1902. Also see line-up. For line bees see bee-line. Related: Lined; lining.
lined (adj.)
"having a lining or backing" (of some other material), mid-15c., from past participle of line (v.1); meaning "marked with lines" is from 1776, from past participle of line (v.2).
lines (n.)
1560s, "any short piece of writing" (especially poetry), from line (n.) in the sense "row of verse," attested since late Old English (answering to Latin versus, Greek stikhos). Hence "a few words in writing, a short letter" (1640s); meaning "words of an actor's part" is from 1882. From 1670s as "outlines, plans" (of a building, ship, etc.); hence, figuratively, "plan, model" of anything (1757). Lines of communication originally were transverse trenches in siegeworks, from line (n.) in a military sense "trench, rampart," a collective singular from 1690s given a new currency in World War I.
lineage (n.)
late 17c., from Middle English linage "line of descent; an ancestor" (c. 1300), from Old French lignage "descent, extraction, race" (11c.), from ligne "line," from Latin linea "line of descent," literally "string, line, thread" (see line (n.)). The word altered in spelling and pronunciation in early Modern English, apparently by some combined influence of line (n.) and lineal.
lineal (adj.)
late 14c., "resembling a line," from Old French lineal "pertaining to a line" (14c.), from Late Latin linealis "pertaining to a line," from linea "a string, line, thread" (see line (n.)). Compare linear. Related: Lineally.
lineality (n.)
1818, from lineal + -ity. Originally of handwriting.
lineament (n.)
early 15c., liniament, "distinctive feature of the body, outline," from Latin lineamentum "contour, outline; a feature," literally "a line, stroke, mark," from lineare "to reduce to a straight line" (here apparently in an unrecorded sense "trace lines"), from linea "string, thread, line" (see line (n.)). Figurative sense of "a characteristic" is attested from 1630s.
linear (adj.)
"resembling a line, of or pertaining to lines," 1640s, from French linéaire, from Latin linearis "belonging to a line," from linea "string, line" (see line (n.)). Essentially the same word as lineal; "in Latin linearis the original suffix -alis was changed to -aris by dissimilation, but in Late Latin this rule was no longer productive and the formation or re-formation in -alis remained unchanged." [Barnhart].
As "involving the use of lines" from 1840, hence Linear A, Linear B, names given (1902-3) to two related forms of linear Minoan writing discovered 1894-1901 in Crete by Sir Arthur Evans and long defying translation. It is used there in opposition to pictographic.
linearity (n.)
lineate (adj.)
"marked with lines," 1640s, from Latin lineatus, past participle of lineare in an unrecorded sense "trace lines" (see lineament).
lineate (v.)
"to mark with lines," 1550s, from Latin lineatus, past participle of lineare in an unrecorded sense "trace lines" (see lineament). Related: Lineated; lineating.
lineation (n.)
late 14c., "the act of drawing lines," from Latin lineationem (nominative lineatio) "a drawing of a line, the making in a straight line," noun of action from past-participle stem of lineare in an unrecorded sense "trace lines" (see lineament). Meaning "a marking by lines" is from 1540s.
lineman (n.)
1858, worker on telegraph (later telephone) lines, from line (n.) + man (n.). U.S. football sense is from 1894.
linen (n.)
"cloth from woven flax," early 14c., noun use of adjective linen "made of flax" from Old English līn "flax, linen thread, linen cloth" + -en (2). Old English lin is from Proto-Germanic *linam (source also of Old Saxon, Old Norse, Old High German lin "flax, linen," German Leinen "linen," Gothic lein "linen cloth"), probably an early borrowing from Latin linum "flax, linen," which, along with Greek linon is from a non-Indo-European language. Beekes writes, "Original identity is possible, however, since the cultivation of flax in Central Europe is very old. Still, it is more probable that linon and linum derive from a Mediterranean word. The word is unknown in Indo-Iranian (but the concept is, of course)." Lithuanian linai, Old Church Slavonic linu, Irish lin probably are ultimately from Latin or Greek.
Woolen has begun the same evolution. Meaning "articles of linen fabric collectively" is from 1748, now sometimes extended unetymologically to cotton and artificial fabrics. The Old English noun also carried into Middle English as lin (n.) "linen" and persisted into 17c. and later in technical uses. The Middle English phrase under line (c. 1300) meant "in one's clothes." Linen-lifter (1650s) was old slang for an adulterous male.
lineo-
word-forming element, used as a combining form of Latin linea (see line (n.)).
liner (n.2)
"person who fits a lining to," 1610s, agent noun from line (v.1). The meaning "thing serving as a lining" is from 1869. Liner notes in a record album is attested from 1953.
liner (n.1)
"vessel belonging to a shipping line," 1838, from line (n.) on the notion of a succession of ships plying between ports along regular "lines," as distinguished from transient ships using those ports. (Line in this sense is attested by 1786 in reference to stagecoaches.) Earlier it meant "man of war, ship of the line" (1829).
The cosmetic sense is by 1904, originally of actor's makeup where it might be used to draw wrinkles, as well as outline the eyes or lips. The type of baseball hit (forcible and parallel to the ground) was so called from 1874 (line drive is attested from 1899).
linesman (n.)
1856, "private soldier in a regiment of the Line," from genitive of line (n.) + man (n.). Sports sense, in reference to umpires with specific duties in games with lines (originally tennis, also ice hockey) is from 1890.
line-up (n.)
also lineup, from the verbal phrase line up (1889 as "form a line;" 1902 as "make into a line"); see line (v.2) + up (adv.). As a noun, the baseball version (1889) is older than the police version (1907).
ling (n.)
long, slender European fish, c. 1300, lenge, common Germanic, cognate with Dutch leng, German Leng, Old Norse langa, probably ultimately related to long (adj.) and so named for its length.
-ling
diminutive word-forming element, early 14c., from Old English -ling a nominal suffix (not originally diminutive), from Proto-Germanic *-linga-; attested in historical Germanic languages as a simple suffix, but probably representing a fusion of two suffixes: 1. that represented by English -el (1), as in thimble, handle; and 2. -ing, suffix indicating "person or thing of a specific kind or origin;" in masculine nouns also "son of" (as in farthing, atheling, Old English horing "adulterer, fornicator"), from PIE *-(i)ko- (see -ic).
Both these suffixes had occasional diminutive force, but this was only slightly evident in Old English -ling and its equivalents in Germanic languages except Norse, where it commonly was used as a diminutive suffix, especially in words designating the young of animals (such as gæslingr "gosling"). Thus it is possible that the diminutive use that developed in Middle English is from Old Norse.
lingam (n.)
in Hindu religion, "phallic emblem under which Siva is worshipped," 1719, from Sanskrit linga (nominative lingam) "mark, token, sign, emblem," a word of unknown origin.
linger (v.)
c. 1300, lenger "reside, dwell," northern England frequentative of lengen "to tarry," from Old English lengan "prolong, lengthen," from Proto-Germanic *langjan "to make long" (source also of Old Frisian lendza, Old High German lengan, Dutch lengen "to lengthen"), from *langaz- "long" (see long (adj.)).
Intransitive sense of "delay going, depart slowly and unwillingly" is from 1520s. Meaning "remain long in sickness, be near death for a time" is from 1530s. It shares verbal duties with long, prolong, lengthen. Related: Lingered; lingerer; lingering.
lingering (adj.)
"remaining long," 1540s, present-participle adjective from linger (v.). Related: Lingeringly.
lingerie (n.)
1835 (but not in widespread use until 1852), "linen underwear, especially as made for women," from French lingerie "linen goods, things made of linen," originally "laundry room, linen warehouse, linen shop, linen market" (15c.), also the name of a street in Paris, from linger "a dealer in linen goods," from Old French linge "linen" (12c.), from Latin lineus (adj.) "of linen," from linum "flax, linen" (see linen). Originally introduced in English as a euphemism for then-scandalous under-linen. Extension to articles of cotton or artificial material is unetymological.
lingo (n.)
"foreign speech," 1650s, probably a corruption of Latin lingua "speech, language; tongue" (from PIE root *dnghu- "tongue"), perhaps immediately as a shortening of lingua franca (q.v.), or from Provençal lingo "language, tongue," from Old Provençal lenga, from Latin lingua.
lingua franca (n.)
1620s, from Italian, literally "Frankish tongue." A stripped-down Italian peppered with Spanish, French, Greek, Arabic, and Turkish words, it began as a form of communication in the Levant. The name probably is from the Arabic custom, dating back to the Crusades, of calling all Europeans Franks (see Frank). In 17c. English sources also known as Bastard Spanish.
lingual (adj.)
"of or pertaining to the tongue," 1640s, from Medieval Latin lingualis "of the tongue," from Latin lingua "tongue," also "speech, language," from Old Latin dingua, from PIE *dnghu- "tongue" (source also of Old English tunge "tongue;" see tongue (n.)). Altered in Latin probably in part by association with lingere "to lick." Earlier "tongue-shaped" (c. 1400).
Linguaphone (n.)
proprietary name of a language-learning program involving phonograph records, 1908, from Latin lingua "language, tongue" (from PIE root *dnghu- "tongue") + ending from gramophone, etc.
linguiform (adj.)
"tongue-shaped," 1753, from Latin lingua "tongue" (from PIE root *dnghu- "tongue") + -form.
linguine (n.)
by 1944, from Italian linguine, plural of linguina "little tongue," diminutive of lingua "tongue," from Latin lingua "tongue" (from PIE root *dnghu- "tongue").
linguist (n.)
1580s, "a master of languages;" also "one who uses his tongue freely," a hybrid from Latin lingua "language, tongue" (from PIE root *dnghu- "tongue") + -ist. Meaning "a student of language" first attested 1640s. Compare French linguiste, Spanish linguista. English in 17c. had an adjective linguacious "talkative" (1650s). Linguister (1640s) was the old name in early colonial New England for an interpreter between Europeans and Indians (Lowell used it in a sense "dabbler in philology, linguist"). Linguistician is attested from 1895.
linguistics (n.)
"the science of languages," 1847; see linguistic; also see -ics. Also known as comparative philology (1822). An earlier word for it was linguistry (1794); logonomy (1803) also was tried.
linguistic (adj.)
"of or pertaining to the study of language," 1824, from German linguistisch (1807); see linguist + -ic. The use of linguistic to mean "of or pertaining to language or languages" (1847) is "hardly justifiable etymologically," according to OED, but "has arisen because lingual suggests irrelevant associations." Related: Linguistical; linguistically.
liniment (n.)
"oily liquid for external application," early 15c., a term in medicine, from Late Latin linimentum "a soft ointment," from Latin linire, collateral form of earlier linere "to daub, smear," from PIE root *(s)lei- "slime, slimy, sticky" (see slime (n.)).
link (n.3)
"undulating sandy ground," especially in a golf course; see links.
link (n.2)
"torch of tow, pitch, etc.," 1520s, of uncertain origin, possibly from Medieval Latin linchinus, from lichinus "wick," from Greek lykhnos "portable light, lamp," from PIE root *leuk- "light, brightness."
link (v.)
"to bind, fasten, couple, unite as if by links," late 14c., believed to be from link (n.1), though it is attested earlier. Intransitive sense "become connected, join in marriage" is from 1530s. Related: Linked; linking.
link (n.)
early 15c., "one of a series of rings or loops which form a chain; section of a cord," probably from Old Norse *hlenkr or a similar Scandinavian source (compare Old Norse hlekkr "link," in plural, "chain;" Old Swedish lænker "chain, link," Norwegian lenke "a link," Danish lænke "a chain," German Gelenk "articulation, a joint of the body; a link, ring"), from Proto-Germanic *khlink- (source also of German lenken "to bend, turn, lead"), from PIE root *kleng- "to bend, turn." Related to lank, flank, flinch.
The noun is not found in Old English, where it is represented by lank "the hip" ("turn of the body"), hlencan (plural) "armor." Meaning "a division of a sausage made in a continuous chain" is from mid-15c. Meaning "anything serving to connect one thing or part with another" is from 1540s. Sense of "means of telecommunication between two points" is from 1911. Missing link between man and apes dates to 1880.
links (n.)
"undulating sandy ground," 1728, from Scottish/Northumbrian link "sandy, rolling ground near seashore, a crook or winding of a river," from Old English hlinc "rising ground, ridge;" perhaps from the same Proto-Germanic root as lean (v.). The Scottish word for the type of landscape where golf was born; the word has been part of the names of golf courses at least since 1728. The southern form of the word was Middle English linch "rising ground, especially between plowed fields or along a chalk down," which persisted in dialect.
linkage (n.)
"system of combined links," 1874, originally in mechanical engineering, from link (v.) + -age.
link-up (n.)
"a joining together or coupling," 1945, from the verbal phrase; see link (v.) + up (adv.).
linnet (n.)
small finch-like Eurasian songbird, 1530s, from French linette "grain of flax," diminutive of lin "flax," from Latin linum "flax, linen thread" (see linen). Flaxseed forms much of the bird's diet. Old English name for the bird, linetwige, with second element perhaps meaning "to pluck," yielded Middle English and dialectal lintwhite. Also compare German Hänfling "linnet," from Hanf "hemp."
lino (n.)
1907, short for linotype.
linoleum (n.)
1860, coined by English inventor Frederick Walton (1837-1928), from Latin linum "flax, linen" (see linen) + oleum "oil" (see oil (n.)) and intended to indicate "linseed-oil cloth." Originally, a preparation of solidified linseed oil used to coat canvas for making floor coverings; the word was applied to the flooring material itself after 1878. The Linoleum Manufacturing Company was formed 1864.
Linotype (n.)
proprietary name of a machine for producing stereotyped lines of type for printing, 1886, American English, trademark name (Mergenthaler Linotype Co.), a contraction of line o' type. Invented by Ottmar Mergenthaler (1854-1899) and in widespread use in U.S. newspaper production early 20c.
linseed (n.)
Old English linsæd "seed of flax," from līn "flax" (see linen) + sæd "seed" (see seed (n.)). Used in ancient times as a source of medical treatments, in later use to produce linseed oil, used in paint, ink, varnishes, etc.
linsey-woolsey (n.)
late 15c., originally a cloth woven from linen (perhaps directly from Middle English line "linen") and wool; the words apparently were altered for the sake of a jingling sound. Linsey by itself is attested from mid-15c., apparently meaning "coarse linen fabric." Some sources suggest a connection or influence from the place name Lindsey in Suffolk.
linstock (n.)
also linestock, lintstock, forked staff used for firing a cannon, 1570s, from Dutch lonstok, from lont "match" + stok "stick," from Proto-Germanic *stukkaz-, from PIE root *steu- (1) "to push, stick, knock, beat."
lint (n.)
late 14c., "flax prepared for spinning," also "refuse of flax used as kindling," somehow from the source of Old English lin "flax" (see linen). Perhaps from or by influence of French linette "grain of flax," diminutive of lin "flax," from Latin linum "flax, linen;" Klein suggests from Latin linteum "linen cloth," neuter of adjective linteus.
Later "flocculent flax refuse used as tinder or for dressing wounds" (c. 1400). Still used for "flax" in Scotland in Burns' time. Applied to stray cotton fluff from 1610s, though in later use this is said to be American English.
lintel (n.)
"horizontal piece resting on the jambs of a door or window," early 14c., from Old French lintel "threshold" (13c., Modern French linteau), a word of uncertain origin, probably a variant of lintier, from Vulgar Latin *limitalis "threshold," or a similar unrecorded word, from Latin limitaris (adj.) "that is on the border," from limes (genitive limitis) "border, boundary" (see limit (n.)). Altered by influence of Latin limen "threshold."
Linux
computer operating system, named for Linux kernel, written 1991 by software engineer Linus Torvalds (b. 1969) of Finland (who coined the word but did not choose it as the name).
Linzertorte (n.)
kind of jam-filled tart, 1906, from German Linzertorte, from Linzer (adj.) "of Linz," the city in Austria, + torte "tart" (see torte). The city name probably is ultimately from the Germanic root for "lime tree."
lion (n.)
late 12c., from Old French lion "lion," also figuratively "hero" (12c.), from Latin leonem (nominative leo) "lion; the constellation Leo," from Greek leon (genitive leontos), a word from a non-Indo-European language, perhaps Semitic (compare Hebrew labhi "lion," plural lebaim; Egyptian labai, lawai "lioness"). Old English had the word straight from Latin as leo (Anglian lea).
The Latin word was borrowed throughout Germanic (compare Old Frisian lawa; Middle Dutch leuwe, Dutch leeuw; Old High German lewo, German Löwe); it is also found in most other European languages, often via Germanic (Old Church Slavonic livu, Polish lew, Czech lev, Old Irish leon, Welsh llew).
Extended 17c. to American big cats. Sometimes used ironically of other animals (for example Cotswold lion "sheep" (16c.; lyons of Cotteswold is from mid-15c.). In early 19c., to avoid advertising breaches of the game laws, hare, when served as food was listed as lion.
Paired alliteratively with lamb since late 14c. Used figuratively from c. 1200 in English of lion-like persons, in an approving sense, "one who is fiercely brave," and a disapproving one, "tyrannical leader, greedy devourer." Lion-hearted is from 1708. Lion's share "the greatest portion" is attested from 1701. The image of the lion's mouth as a place of great danger is from c. 1200.
Lionel
masc. proper name, from French, literally "young lion" (see lion), from Old French lionel, also lioncel.
lioness (n.)
"female lion," c. 1300, leoness, from lion + -ess. From late 14c., of persons, "fierce or cruel woman." From 1590s as "woman who is boldly public;" from 1808 as "woman who is a focus of public interest."
lionise (v.)
chiefly British English spelling of lionize (q.v.); for suffix, see -ize. Related: Lionised; lionising.
lionize (v.)
"to treat (someone) as a celebrity," 1809 (Scott), a hybrid from lion + -ize. It preserves lion in the sense of "person of note who is much sought-after" (1715), a sense said to have been extended from the lions formerly kept in the Tower of London (proverbial from late 16c.) that were objects of general curiosity that every visitor in town was taken to see. Related: Lionized; lionizing.
lip (n.)
Old English lippa "lip, one of the two sides of the mouth," from Proto-Germanic *lepjan- (source also of Old Frisian lippa, Middle Dutch lippe, Dutch lip, Old High German lefs, German Lefze, Swedish läpp, Danish læbe). Boutkan and de Vaan reject the traditional IE derivation for this group and Latin labium, though they agree the Latin and Germanic words probably are related. It may be a substratum word. French lippe is an Old French borrowing from a Germanic source.
Transferred sense of "edge or margin of a cup, etc." is from 1590s. Slang sense "saucy talk" is from 1821, probably from the expression move the lip (1570s) "utter even the slightest word (against someone)." To bite (one's) lip "show vexation" is from early 14c. Stiff upper lip as a sign of courage and struggle against despondency is from 1833. Lip gloss is attested from 1939; lip balm from 1877. Related: Lips.
lip (v.)
c. 1600, "to kiss," from lip (n.). Meaning "to pronounce with the lips only" is from 1789. Related: Lipped; lipping.
lipped (adj.)
"having lips or a lip," late 14c., past-participle adjective from lip (v.).
Lipari
large island north of Sicily, largest of the Aeolian Islands, probably somehow related to Greek liparos "fat; rich" (see liparo-).
liparo-
before vowels lipar-, word-forming element meaning "oily," from Greek liparos "oily, shiny with oil, fatty, greasy," used of rich soil and smooth skin; figuratively "rich, comfortable; costly, splendid," from lipos "fat" (from PIE root *leip- "to stick, adhere," also used to form words for "fat").
lipase (n.)
class of enzymes, 1897, from French lipase (1896), from Greek lipos "fat" (see lipo-) + chemical enzyme ending -ase.
lipid (n.)
"organic substance of the fat group," 1925, from French lipide, coined 1923 by G. Bertrand from Greek lipos "fat, grease" (see lipo-) + chemical suffix -ide.
Lipizzan
1911, from Lipizza, home of the former Austrian Imperial Stud; term used to designate horses originally bred there. The city is modern-day Lipica near Trieste in Slovenia (Lipizza is the Italian form of the name). Related: Lipizzaner.
lipless (adj.)
c. 1400, from lip (n.) + -less. Related: Liplessly.
lipo- (1)
word-forming element meaning "fat" (n.), from Greek lipos "fat" (n.), from PIE root *leip- "to stick, adhere," also used to form words for "fat."
lipo- (2)
word-forming element in biological compounds meaning "be lacking, having no," from Greek leipein "to leave, be lacking," from PIE root *leikw- "to leave."
lipogram (n.)
"writing which avoids all words containing a particular letter" (an ancient literary pastime; in English typically -e-), 1711, abstracted from Greek lipogrammatikos, literally "wanting a letter," from stem of leipein "to leave, be lacking" (from PIE root *leikw- "to leave") + gramma "a letter, character" (see -gram).
lipoma (n.)
"fatty tumor" (plural lipomata), 1830, medical Latin, from Greek lipos "fat" (n.), from PIE root *leip- "to stick, adhere," also used to form words for "fat," + -oma. Related: Lipomatous.
liposuction (n.)
1983, from Greek lipos "fat, grease" (from PIE root *leip- "to stick, adhere," also used to form words for "fat") + suction (n.).
lippy (adj.)
"insolent, full of 'lip,'" 1875, from lip (n.) + -y (2). Related: Lippiness.
lip-read (v.)
1880, back-formation from lip-reading, which is attested from 1852 in writings on educating deaf-mutes; from lip (n.) + reading.
lip-service (n.)
"something proffered but not performed, service with the lips only; insincere profession of good will," 1640s, from lip (n.) + service (n.1). Earlier in same sense was lip-labour (1530s). This was a general pattern in 16c.-17c., for example lip-wisdom (1580s), the wisdom of those who do not practice what they preach; lip-religion (1590s), lip-devotion "prayer without genuine faith or desire" (c. 1600); lip-comfort (1630s).
lipstick (n.)
1880, "lip rouge molded into stick form," from lip (n.) + stick (n.). Used of lip rouge sold in pots, palettes or other shapes by 1965. Liquid lipstick is by 1938.
liquefaction (n.)
early 15c., "act or process of becoming liquid," from French liquéfaction, from Late Latin liquefactionem (nominative liquefactio), noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin liquefacere "to make liquid, melt" (see liquefy). Formerly also used in a metaphysical sense, of the melting of the soul in the ardor of devotion. Related: Liquefacient.
liquefy (v.)
early 15c., transitive, "to turn to liquid, dissolve, melt," from Old French liquefier "liquefy, dissolve" (12c., Modern French liquéfier), from Latin liquefacere "make liquid, melt, dissolve," from liquere "be fluid" (see liquid (adj.)) + facere "to make" (from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put").
liquescent (adj.)
"having a tendency to become liquid," 1727, from Latin liquescentem (nominative liquescens), present participle of liquescere "to melt," from liquere "to be liquid" (see liquid (adj.)) Related: Liquescency (1650s).
liqueur (n.)
"sweetened, flavored alcoholic liquor," 1729, from French liqueur "liquor, liquid," from Old French licor "liquid." See liquor, which is the same word but borrowed earlier.
liquid (adj.)
late 14c., "flowing, capable of flowing; neither solid nor gaseous," from Old French liquide "liquid, running" (13c.), from Latin liquidus "fluid, liquid, moist," figuratively "flowing, continuing," also of sounds and voices, from liquere "be fluid," related to liqui "to melt, flow," from PIE *wleik- "to flow, run."
In English, of sounds from 1630s. Financial sense of "capable of being converted to cash" is first recorded 1818, from earlier use in Scots Law (17c.) in reference to debts that had been proved (in court, etc.).
liquid (n.)
"a liquid substance," 1708, from liquid (adj.). Earlier it meant "sound of a liquid consonant" (1520s), following Latin liquidae, Greek hygra, applied to letters of an easy, "flowing" sound.
liquidator (n.)
1825, agent noun in Latin form from liquidate (v.). By 1949 in the "killer" sense.
liquidation (n.)
1570s, in law, of debts, noun of action from past-participle stem of Late Latin liquidare "melt, make liquid" (see liquidate). Originally as a legal term in reference to assets; of companies going out of business, 1869; of inconvenient groups of persons, "a killing, a wiping out," 1925 in communist writings. In O. Henry, "the act of taking a drink of liquor."
liquidity (n.)
1610s, "quality of being liquid," from Late Latin liquiditatem (nominative liquiditas) "liquidity," from Latin liquidus (see liquid (adj.)). Meaning "quality of being financially liquid" is from 1897. Earlier in the literal sense was liquidness (1520s).
liquidate (v.)
1570s, of accounts, "to reduce to order, to set out clearly" (a sense now obsolete), from Late Latin or Medieval Latin liquidatus, past participle of liquidare "to melt, make liquid, make clear, clarify," from Latin liquidus "fluid, liquid, moist" (see liquid (adj.)). Sense of "clear away" (a debt) first recorded 1755. The meaning "wipe out, kill" is from 1924, possibly from Russian likvidirovat, ultimately from the Latin word. Related: Liquidated; liquidating.