league English · revision 3460

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /liːɡ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ {{homograph|1|distance}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1387 (Trevisa)|origins=la-lat leuga}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The distance is [[inh|enm|lege]], also leuge,^(Barnhart 1988)^(MW Collegiate)^(Hoad 1986) [[bor|pro|lega]] or Old French [[m|fro|legue]] and directly [[la-lat|leuga]], [[m|la-lat|leuca]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) which Roman writers say is from Gaulish.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Klein 1966) Hoad notes that both the Late Latin type and the Provençal type occur early, and that the second survived; modern French [[m|fr|lieue]] and Spanish [[m|es|legua]] are from the same Latin word.^(Hoad 1986)^(Etymonline) Merriam-Webster relates it to the source of Old English lēowe “league”.^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A measure of distance, about three miles: before 1387, in Trevisa's translation of Higden's ''Polychronicon'',^(Barnhart 1988) or 1387 in the OED.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Etymonline notes that it was a vague measure, perhaps originally an hour's walk, a conventional rather than a legal measure in England, and found more often in poetry than in practical writing.^(Etymonline) The SOED marks it as archaic.^(SOED 2002) ''League-long'' and similar compounds are poetic, from the 19th century.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1387 – a measure of distance (Trevisa).^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(archaic)'' A unit of distance, usually about three miles or about five kilometres.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # A square league, as a unit of area.^(AHD)

+

+ {{homograph|2|alliance}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1452|origins=la ligāre}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The alliance is an alteration, influenced by Italian [[m|it|lega]], of Middle English ligg, liege,^(AHD 2000)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MW Collegiate) [[bor|frm|ligue|t=confederacy, league]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[roa-oit|liga]], a variant of [[m|it|lega]], from [[m|it|legare|t=to tie, bind]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002) from [[la|ligāre|t=to bind]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) from [[ine-pro|*leyǵ-|alt=*leig-|t=to tie, bind]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) Latin ''ligāre'' is also the source of [[ligament]] and [[ally]].^(Klein 1966)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A covenant or alliance for mutual protection: 1452,^(OED 1989)^(HTOED) or mid-15th century as ligg;^(Etymonline) Barnhart records ''liege'' “pact” in 1418 and the spelling ''league'' in 1561.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The league was first between nations,^(Etymonline) and the general sense “a covenant, compact” is from 1509.^(OED 1989) Political associations of individuals are ''leagues'' from 1846,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and sports associations from 1879.^(Etymonline) ''League of Nations'' is from 1917.^(Etymonline) The verb “to form a league” is from the 1610s,^(Etymonline) or 1611.^(OED 1989) The figurative sense “class, level”, as in ''not in the same league'', and ''big league'' are from the 1930s.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1418 – ''liege'', a pact.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1452 – an alliance.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1561 – the spelling ''league''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1611 – verb.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1846 – a political association.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1879 – a sports league.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1917 – ''League of Nations''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1935 – a class or level.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An association of states, organizations or people for common action; an [[alliance]].^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # An association of sports teams or clubs that compete among themselves.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A class or level of competition: ''out of one's league''.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To join or bring together in a league.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[leaguer]]

+ * [[big league]]

+ * [[major league]]

+ * [[league table]]

+ * [[in league]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ally]]

+ * [[alliance]]

+ * [[ligament]]

+ * [[ligature]]

+ * [[liable]]

+ * [[oblige]]

+ * [[religion]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}