*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of la

From Glover's solmization, from Middle English la (“sixth degree or note of Guido of Arezzo's hexachordal scales”), Italian la in the solmization of Guido of Arezzo, from the first syllable of Latin labiī (“lip's”) in th

7 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 7 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗
noun

A syllable used in solfège to represent the sixth note of a major scale. · Sometimes syllable for both the third and the sixth.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Glover's solmization, from Middle English la (“sixth degree or note of Guido of Arezzo's hexachordal scales”), Italian la in the solmization of Guido of Arezzo, from the first syllable of Latin labiī (“lip's”) in the lyrics of the scale-ascending hymn Ut queant laxis by Paulus Deacon.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Inherited-form mentionlaenm
  • Derivation mentionlait
  • Derivation mentionlabiīla · lip's
Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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      },
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    },
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    },
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        "2": "la",
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    }
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    ],
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      "la#Italian"
    ],
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      "labii#Latin"
    ]
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Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
intj

Represents the sound of music or singing.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Sound used to form meaningless song refrains. Of imitative origin. Compare Old English lā (a common exclamation), Ancient Greek λαλαγε (lalage, “babble”), German lallen (“to babble”).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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        "1": "ang",
        "2": "lā",
        "pos": "a common exclamation"
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      "expansion": "Old English lā (a common exclamation)"
    },
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      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "grc",
        "2": "λαλαγε",
        "3": "",
        "4": "babble"
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    },
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      "name": "cog",
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        "3": "",
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    }
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Source etymology 3

Original entry ↗
intj

Used to introduce a statement with emphatic or intensive effect. · Expressing surprise, anger. etc.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English la, from Old English lā. More at lo.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Derivation mentionlaenm
  • Derivation mentionlaang
Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Source etymology 4

Original entry ↗
adj

Prefixed to the name of a woman, with ironic effect (as though an opera prima donna).

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From French la, Italian la.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Derivation mentionlafr
  • Derivation mentionlait
Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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    },
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Source etymology 5

Original entry ↗
noun

lad, kid

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Possibly a shortened form of lad.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Source etymology 6

Original entry ↗
noun

Abbreviation of lane

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Abbreviation.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Source etymology 7

Original entry ↗
particle

Placed at the end of a sentence in imperatives making it sound more like a request than an order. · Used to tone down comments.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Cantonese 啦 (laa¹). Doublet of lah.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Borrowed-form mention啦yue
  • Doublet mentionlahen
Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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    },
    {
      "name": "doublet",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "lah"
      },
      "expansion": "Doublet of lah"
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  ],
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Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for la →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-bGE