*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of lithe

From Middle English lithe, from Old English līþe (“gentle, mild”), from Proto-West Germanic *linþ(ī), from Proto-Germanic *linþaz, from Proto-Indo-European *lentos. Akin to Saterland Frisian lied (“thin, skinny, gaunt”),

5 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 5 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 ↗
adj

Mild; calm. · Slim but not skinny. · Capable of being easily bent; flexible. · Adaptable.

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

From Middle English lithe, from Old English līþe (“gentle, mild”), from Proto-West Germanic *linþ(ī), from Proto-Germanic *linþaz, from Proto-Indo-European *lentos. Akin to Saterland Frisian lied (“thin, skinny, gaunt”), Danish, Dutch, and archaic German lind (“mild”). Some sources also list Latin lenis (“soft”) and/or Latin lentus (“supple”) as possible cognates.

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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        "3": "lithe"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English lithe"
    },
    {
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        "2": "ang",
        "3": "līþe",
        "4": "",
        "5": "gentle, mild"
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    },
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        "3": "*linþ(ī)"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *linþ(ī)"
    },
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        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*linþaz"
      },
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    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*lentos"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *lentos"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "stq",
        "2": "lied",
        "3": "",
        "4": "thin, skinny, gaunt"
      },
      "expansion": "Saterland Frisian lied (“thin, skinny, gaunt”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "la",
        "2": "lenis",
        "t": "soft"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin lenis (“soft”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "la",
        "2": "lentus",
        "t": "supple"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin lentus (“supple”)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
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      "lithe",
      "lithe#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "līþe",
      "liþe#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "*linþ(ī)",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/linþ(ī)"
    ],
    [
      "*linþaz",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/linþaz"
    ],
    [
      "*lentos",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/lentos"
    ],
    [
      "lied",
      "lied#Saterland_Frisian"
    ],
    [
      "lind",
      "lind#German"
    ],
    [
      "lenis",
      "lenis#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "lentus",
      "lentus#Latin"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
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        "Mild; calm.",
        "Slim but not skinny.",
        "Capable of being easily bent; flexible.",
        "Adaptable."
      ],
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        "obsolete"
      ],
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Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
verb

To become calm. · To make soft or mild; soften; alleviate; mitigate; lessen; smooth; palliate.

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

From Middle English lithen, from Old English līþian, līþigian, līþegian (“to soften, calm, mitigate, assuage, appease, be mild”), from Proto-West Germanic *linþijan, from Proto-Germanic *linþijaną (“to soften”), from Proto-Indo-European *lento- (“bendsome, resilient”). Cognate with German lindern (“to alleviate, ease, relieve”).

Relationships mentioned by the source

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

  • Inherited-form mentionlithenenm
  • Inherited-form mentionlīþianang
  • Inherited-form mention*linþijangmw-pro
  • Inherited-form mention*linþijanągem-pro · to soften
  • Derivation mention*lento-ine-pro · bendsome, resilient
  • Cognate mentionlindernde · to alleviate, ease, relieve
Inspect preserved source fields

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

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        "3": "lithen"
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      "expansion": "Middle English lithen"
    },
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        "2": "ang",
        "3": "līþian"
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    },
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    },
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    },
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      },
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    },
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        "1": "de",
        "2": "lindern",
        "t": "to alleviate, ease, relieve"
      },
      "expansion": "German lindern (“to alleviate, ease, relieve”)"
    }
  ],
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      "lithen",
      "lithen#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "līþian",
      "liþian#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "līþigian",
      "liþigian#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "līþegian",
      "liþegian#Old_English"
    ],
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      "*linþijan",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/linþijan"
    ],
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      "*linþijaną",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/linþijaną"
    ],
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      "*lento-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/lento-"
    ],
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      "lindern",
      "lindern#German"
    ]
  ],
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        "To become calm.",
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Source etymology 3

Original entry ↗
verb

To attend; listen, hearken. · To listen to, hearken to.

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

From Middle English lithen, from Old Norse hlýða (“to listen”), from Proto-Germanic *hliuþijaną (“to listen”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱlew- (“to hear”). Cognate with Danish lytte (“to listen”). Related to Old English hlēoþor (“noise, sound, voice, song, hearing”), Old English hlūd (“loud, noisy, sounding, sonorous”). More at loud.

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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    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "lithen"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English lithen"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "non",
        "3": "hlýða",
        "4": "",
        "5": "to listen"
      },
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    },
    {
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        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*hliuþijaną",
        "t": "to listen"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *hliuþijaną (“to listen”)"
    },
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      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*ḱlew-",
        "t": "to hear"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *ḱlew- (“to hear”)"
    },
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      "args": {
        "1": "da",
        "2": "lytte",
        "3": "",
        "4": "to listen"
      },
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    },
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      "name": "cog",
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        "1": "ang",
        "2": "hlēoþor",
        "3": "",
        "4": "noise, sound, voice, song, hearing"
      },
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    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "ang",
        "2": "hlūd",
        "3": "",
        "4": "loud, noisy, sounding, sonorous"
      },
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    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "lithen",
      "lithen#Middle_English"
    ],
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      "hlýða",
      "hlýða#Old_Norse"
    ],
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      "*hliuþijaną",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/hliuþijaną"
    ],
    [
      "*ḱlew-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/ḱlew-"
    ],
    [
      "lytte",
      "lytte#Danish"
    ],
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      "hlēoþor",
      "hleoþor#Old_English"
    ],
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      "hlūd",
      "hlud#Old_English"
    ],
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      "loud",
      "loud#English"
    ]
  ],
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        "To attend; listen, hearken.",
        "To listen to, hearken to."
      ],
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        "obsolete",
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Source etymology 4

Original entry ↗
noun

Shelter.

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

Uncertain; perhaps an alteration of lewth.

Inspect preserved source fields

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

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Source etymology 5

Original entry ↗
verb

to thicken (gravy, etc.)

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

From Middle English lithen (“to make gentle or mild; to relax, soothe”), from Old English līþan (“to assuage, mitigate, soften”), from līþe (“lithe, gentle”).

Relationships mentioned by the source

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

  • Inherited-form mentionlithenenm · to make gentle or mild; to relax, soothe
  • Inherited-form mentionlīþanang · to assuage, mitigate, soften
Inspect preserved source fields

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

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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 lithe →

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-bGl0aGU