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Etymology data from Wiktionary via Wiktextract (CC BY-SA 4.0). Chinese character data from the 說文解字, the Taiwan MOE 國語辭典簡編本 (CC BY-ND 3.0 TW) and HSK/TOCFL lists.

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English

low

/ˈləʊ/
Situated close to, or even below, the ground or another normal reference plane; not high or lofty.

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    • derived
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    • meaning component
    • sound component
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    Origin

    Etymology 1

    From Middle English lah, loue, from Old Norse lágr (“low”), from Proto-Germanic *lēgaz (“low; flat”), from *ligjaną (“to lie; to lead”), from Proto-Indo-European *légʰyeti (“to be lying down”), from *legʰ- (“to lie”).

    Cognates

    Cognate with Scots laich (“low”), Saterland Frisian läich (“low”), West Frisian leech (“low”), Dutch laag (“low”), German Low German leeg, leeg' (“low; inferior”), West Flemish leeg (“lazy”), Danish lav (“low”), Faroese and Icelandic lágur (“low”), Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish låg (“low”), Finnish laaka (“flat”), Ingrian laaku (“gentle”); also Irish laigh, luigh (“to lie”), Manx lhie (“lie; lay”), Scottish Gaelic laigh (“lie; lay”), Faliscan 𐌋𐌄𐌂𐌄𐌕 (lecet, “he lies down”), Latin lectus (“bed”), South Picene 𐌅𐌄𐌉𐌀𐌕 (veiat, “to lie”), Ancient Greek λέχομαι (lékhomai, “to lie down”), Albanian lag (“band, encampment, troop”), Belarusian ляжа́ць (ljažácʹ, “to lie”), Bulgarian лежа́ (ležá, “to lie”), Czech ležet (“to lie”), Macedonian лежи (leži, “to lie”), Polish leżeć (“to lie”), Russian лежа́ть (ležátʹ, “to lie”), Serbo-Croatian лѐжати, lèžati (“to lie”), Slovene ležáti (“to lie”), Ukrainian лежа́ти (ležáty, “to lie”), Tocharian B lyäk- (“to lie”). More at lie.

    Etymology 3

    From Middle English lowen (“to low”), from Old English hlōwan (“to low; to bellow; to roar”), from Proto-Germanic *hlōaną (“to call; shout”), from Proto-Indo-European *kelh₁- (“to call”).

    Cognate with Dutch loeien (“to low”), Middle High German lüejen (“to roar”), dialectal Swedish lumma (“to roar”), Latin calō (“to call”), Ancient Greek καλέω (kaléō), Latin clāmō (“to shout, claim”). More at claim.

    Etymology 4

    From Middle English lowe, loghe, from Old Norse logi (“fire, flame, sword”), from Proto-Germanic *lugô (“flame, blaze”), from Proto-Indo-European *lewk- (“light”).

    Cognate with Icelandic logi (“flame”), Swedish låga (“flame”), Danish lue (“flame”), German Lohe (“blaze, flames”), North Frisian leag (“fire, flame”), Old English līeġ (“fire, flame, lightning”). More at More at leye and More at light.

    Etymology 5

    From Middle English lowe, from Old English hlāw, hlǣw (“burial mound”), from Proto-West Germanic *hlaiw. Obsolete by the 19th century, survives in toponymy as -low.

    From Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

    Lineage

    • inheritedMiddle Englishlāh
      • borrowedOld Norselágr “low”
        • inheritedProto-Germanic*lēgaz
          • derivedProto-Germanic*ligjaną “to lie, recline”
            • inheritedProto-Indo-European*légʰyeti
              • partProto-Indo-European*-yeti
    • rootProto-Indo-European*legʰ- “to lie, recline”
    • inheritedMiddle Englishlowen “to low”
      • inheritedOld Englishhlōwan “to low; to bellow; to roar”
        • inheritedProto-Germanic*hlōaną “to call; shout”
          • derivedProto-Indo-European*kelh₁- “to call”
    • inheritedMiddle Englishlowe
      • derivedOld Norselogi “fire, flame, sword”
        • derivedProto-Germanic*lugô “flame, blaze”
          • derivedProto-Indo-European*lewk- “light”
      • inheritedOld Englishhlǣw “hill”
        • inheritedProto-West Germanic*hlaiw
          • inheritedProto-Germanic*hlaiwą

    Related: Scots laich, Saterland Frisian läich, West Frisian leech, Dutch laag, German Low German leeg, West Flemish leeg, Danish lav, fo,is lágur, nb,nn,sv låg, Finnish laaka, Ingrian laaku, Irish laigh, Manx lhie, Scottish Gaelic laigh, Faliscan 𐌋𐌄𐌂𐌄𐌕, Latin lectus, South Picene 𐌅𐌄𐌉𐌀𐌕, Ancient Greek λέχομαι, Albanian lag, Belarusian ляжа́ць, Bulgarian лежа́, Czech ležet, Macedonian лежи, Polish leżeć

    Meanings

    adj
    1. Situated close to, or even below, the ground or another normal reference plane; not high or lofty.
    2. Pertaining to (or, especially of a language: spoken in) in an area which is at a lesser elevation, closer to sea level (especially near the sea), than other regions.
    3. Below the batter's knees.
    4. Of less than normal height or upward extent or growth, or of greater than normal depth or recession; below the average or normal level from which elevation is measured.
    5. Low-cut.
    6. Not high in status, esteem, or rank, dignity, or quality. (Compare vulgar.)
    noun
    1. A low point or position, literally (as, a depth) or figuratively (as, a nadir, a time when things are at their worst, least, minimum, etc).
    2. The minimum atmospheric temperature recorded at a particular location, especially during one 24-hour period.
    3. A period of depression; a depressed mood or situation.
    4. An area of low pressure; a depression.
    5. The lowest-speed gearing of a power-transmission system, especially of an automotive vehicle.
    6. The lowest trump, usually the deuce; the lowest trump dealt or drawn.
    adv
    1. Close to the ground.
    2. Of a pitch, at a lower frequency.
    3. With a low voice or sound; not loudly; gently.
    4. Under the usual price; at a moderate price; cheaply.
    5. In a low mean condition; humbly; meanly.
    6. In a time approaching our own.
    verb
    1. To lower; to make low.

    Sources

    • Wiktionary (via Wiktextract / kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0
    • Wiktionary: low