leaf
A flattened structure of a plant, typically green, where photosynthesis occurs.
Etymology
From Old English lēaf, from Proto-Germanic *laubą, from a PIE root variously reconstructed as *leup- or *lewbʰ- "to peel, break off." The original sense may have been "something peeled off" or "something that peels away" — leaves peel from branches and bark peels from trunks. The exact PIE etymology remains somewhat uncertain.
The Journey: *leup- → leaf
*leup- / *lewbʰ-
*laubą
lēaf
leef, lef
leaf
Cognates Across Languages
These words in other languages descend from the same PIE root *leup-. They are not borrowings but independent inheritances from a common ancestor.
| Language | Word |
|---|---|
| Dutch | loof (foliage) |
| German | Laub (foliage) |
| Gothic | laufs |
| Old Norse | lauf |
| Lithuanian | lùpti (to peel) |
Did You Know?
German distinguishes Laub (collective foliage) from Blatt (single leaf). English "leaf" covers both senses. The word "lodge" may be distantly related — from the idea of a shelter made of leaves and branches.