Etymologically

Etymology and origin of the Proto-West Germanic word *leuhtōn

Confidence
Uncertain
Formation
Inherited
Inherited from
Proto-Germanic *leuhtōną
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Proto-West Germanic *leuht
German Licht
Proto-West Germanic *leuhtōn

Reconstruction

Wiktionary reconstructs *leuhtōn "to shine, to give light" for Proto-West Germanic.[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *leuhtōną (“to shine”), which Köbler sets up as *leuhtōn and supports with Old English lēohtian alone.[2][3]

Morphology

A weak verb of class II.[3]

Evidence

The other West Germanic languages have a weak verb of class I for "to shine", which Köbler traces to Proto-Germanic *leuhtjan: Old Saxon liuhtian and Old High German liuhten, beside liohten.[4][5][6] Wiktionary also gives an Old Frisian liāchtia, and marks the Old Saxon, Old Dutch and Old High German forms of *leuhtōn as unattested.[1]

Competing analyses

Köbler places the verb in Proto-Germanic,[2] while Wiktionary takes it as formed from Proto-West Germanic *leuht2 (“light”) + *-ōn in West Germanic, or else from the adjective *leuht (“light, bright”) with the same suffix.[1]

Meanings

  1. to shine, to give light[1][2]

Reflexes

  • Old English: lēohtian (“to shine”)[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *leuhtōn
  2. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *leuhtōn
  3. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altenglisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. léohtian
  4. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. liuhtian
  5. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Althochdeutsches Wörterbuch, 6th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. liuhten
  6. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Althochdeutsches Wörterbuch, 6th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. liohten

Related etymologies

  • *stain · also from Proto-Germanic
  • *beran · also from Proto-Germanic
  • *sōkijan · also from Proto-Germanic
  • *fimf · also from Proto-Germanic
  • *hail · also from Proto-Germanic
  • *hertā · also from Proto-Germanic
  • *busk · also from Proto-Germanic
  • *reht · also from Proto-Germanic
Cite this entry

“*leuhtōn.” Etymologically, 16 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/gmw-pro/*leuht%C5%8Dn. Accessed 16 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·