lend
/lɛnd/
verb
Origin
Old English
lænan — to lend, grant, or lease
Overview
Meaning Now
- To grant the use of something on the condition that it will be returned.
- To afford or contribute something, such as a quality, to a person or situation.
Language path
Proto-Indo-European → Proto-Germanic → Old English → Middle English → English
Earliest form
lænan
Earliest period
Old English
Journey
The modern English word 'lend' gained its final '-d' due to the influence of its past tense form 'lent' and the earlier 'lende'. Historically, it is etymologically related to the word 'loan', both deriving from the same Germanic root referring to things given or granted.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
*laihwnjan
“to lend”
- Old English
lænan
“to grant, lend, or bestow”
- Middle English
lenen
“to lend or grant”
Added 'd' by influence of the past tense 'lende' (from *lænde)
- English
lend
“to grant use of property”
Connections
Word parts
lend
root
to grant or provide
Related across languages
German
lehnen
to lean or loan (archaic)
Old Norse
lána
to lend
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Related to lend
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.