leykʷ-

The root *leykʷ- presents an interesting case of semantic bifurcation: in some branches the primary meaning is "to leave, to abandon," while in others it has shifted towards "to remain, to be left over." Both senses are derivable from a core meaning of separation. Latin linquere ("to leave, to abandon") shows the zero-grade *likʷ- with a nasal infix present. Compounds and derivatives include relinquere ("to leave behind," whence relinquish and relic), delinquere ("to fail, to be wanting," whence delinquent), and reliquiae ("remains," whence relics). Greek leípō (λείπω, "I leave") preserves the full grade. The derivative éklipsis (ἔκλειψις, "a forsaking, a failing") gives eclipse (the sun "leaves" the sky). Lipsanon ("relic") and the philosophical leipsis ("deficiency") derive from the same root. Sanskrit riṇákti ("releases, lets go") shows the nasal-infix present formation, parallel to Latin linquere. The Indo-Iranian development *l > r is regular. Gothic leiƕan ("to lend") and Old English lǣnan ("to lend," whence Modern English loan and lend) show a Germanic semantic development from "leaving something with someone" to "lending." This shift from abandonment to temporary transfer is a natural semantic pathway. The o-grade *loykʷ- may underlie certain nominal derivatives across branches, though the details are debated. The root is notable for the consistent preservation of the labialised velar *kʷ across centum languages (Latin qu, Greek p, Germanic ƕ) and its expected treatment in satem languages.