Etymology
Of uncertain origin;[1] proposed derivations include:
- From a Proto-Indo-European root common to Ancient Greek λίθος (líthos, “stone”), λίστρον (lístron, “spade, shovel”) and Latvian lîžu (“to clear a land”). By dint of mentioning only this theory, de Vaan appears to tentatively favor this theory, albeit with heavy doubts.[2]
- From Proto-Indo-European *slaid-, *sled-, a root common to Proto-Germanic *slītaną (“to tear apart”).
- From a Proto-Indo-European root common to Old Norse lesta (“to damage”), lǫstr (“damage”) and Ancient Greek λαιδρός (laidrós, “bold”).
- From Proto-Indo-European *deh₂y-dʰeh₁-e/o- (“to put in one's share”), a compound of *deh₂y- + *dʰeh₁-.[3]
References
De Vaan, Michiel (2008) “laedō, -ere”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 323
Further reading
- “laedo”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- “laedo”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
- laedo in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
- Carl Meißner, Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book, London: Macmillan and Co.
- to break one's word: fidem laedere, violare, frangere
- Walther von Wartburg (1928–2002) “laesus”, in Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, volume 5: J L, page 129