lead

lead
\ \ [OE] English has two words lead, spelled the same but of course pronounced differently and with a very different history. The verb goes back to a prehistoric West and North Germanic *laithjan. This was derived from *laithōway, journey’ (from which English gets load); so etymologically lead means ‘cause to go along one’s way’. Its Germanic relatives include German leiten, Dutch leiden, Swedish leda, and Danish lede. Lead the metal is probably of Celtic origin.
\ \ The prehistoric Celtic word for ‘lead’ was *loudiā, which may have come ultimately from an Indo-European source meaning ‘flow’ (a reference to the metal’s low melting point). Its modern descendants include Irish luaidhe and Gaelic luaidh. It could well have been borrowed into prehistoric West Germanic as *lauda, which would have produced modern German lotsolder’, Dutch loodlead’, and English lead.
\ \ Cf.LOAD

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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