Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/hlaiw

This Proto-West Germanic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-West Germanic

Etymology 1

From Proto-Germanic *hlaiwaz, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱloy-wo-s, from *ḱley- (“shelter, cover”).

Noun

*hlaiw m

2. shelter

Inflection

Masculine a-stem
	Singular
Nominative	*hlaiw
Genitive	*hlaiwas
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	*hlaiw	*hlaiwō, *hlaiwōs
Accusative	*hlaiw	*hlaiwā
Genitive	*hlaiwas	*hlaiwō
Dative	*hlaiwē	*hlaiwum
Instrumental	*hlaiwu	*hlaiwum

Alternative reconstructions

• *hleu

Descendants

• Old English: hlēow, hlēo
• Old Frisian: hlī
• Old Saxon: hlēo
• Old High German: hlēo, lēo
• → Proto-Slavic: *xlěvъ (see there for further descendants)

Etymology 2

From Proto-Germanic *hlaiwą.

Noun

*hlaiw n

2. hill, mound, barrow
3. burial mound, tomb, grave

Inflection

Neuter a-stem
	Singular
Nominative	*hlaiw
Genitive	*hlaiwas
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	*hlaiw	*hlaiwu
Accusative	*hlaiw	*hlaiwu
Genitive	*hlaiwas	*hlaiwō
Dative	*hlaiwē	*hlaiwum
Instrumental	*hlaiwu	*hlaiwum

Descendants

• Old English: hlǣw, hlāw
  • Middle English: lawe, lowe
    • English: low, law, -low, -slow
    • Scots: law
  • ⇒ English: Lewes (placename)
• Old Saxon: hlēo
• Old Dutch: *lēo (in placenames)
  • Middle Dutch: -lewe (in placenames), -leeuw (in placenames)
• Old High German: hlēo, lēo