Labour etymology

English

English word labour comes from Proto-Indo-European *leb-, Proto-Indo-European *leh₂b-, and later Old French laborer (To work; to labor.)

Etymology of labour

Detailed word origin of labour

Dictionary entry Language Definition
*leb- Proto-Indo-European (ine) to hang down, to hang loosely , to hang loosely, droop, sag, blade, to hang down, droop
*leh₂b- Proto-Indo-European (ine)
laborem Latin (lat)
laboro Latin (lat) (transitive) I produce. I am imperiled. I endeavor, strive. I suffer, am oppressed, am afflicted with. I toil, labor.
laborer Old French (fro) To work; to labor.
labouren Middle English (enm)
labour English (en) (nautical) The pitching or tossing of a vessel which results in the straining of timbers and rigging.. (uncountable) A political party or force aiming or claiming to represent the interests of labour.. (uncountable) Workers in general; the working class, the workforce; sometimes specifically the labour movement, organised labour.. An old measure of land area in Mexico and Texas, [...]

Words with the same origin as labour