Etymology

cp. OIcel leir 'clay, earth, mud'. No cognates are attested outside Scandinavia, although the root on which it is formed occurs in WGmc, cp. PGmc *laimōn (cp. OE lām 'clay, earth', OS lēmo 'clay', OHG leim, leimo). The vocalism of the ME n., however, provides a secure test of loan. 

PGmc Ancestor

*laiza-

Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)

leir 'clay, earth, mud'
(ONP leir (sb.))

Other Scandinavian Reflexes

Far leir, Icel leir, Norw leir, Dan ler, Sw ler

OE Cognate

cp.  lām 'clay, earth'

Phonological and morphological markers

ON /ei/ < PGmc */ai/

Summary category

A1bc

Attestation

ME attestations occur in N texts from the 14c. onwards (MED, OED), and the n. is attested earlier as a place-name element in the N/EM, e.g. Layerthorpe Yks. (see EPNE)

Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus

WA 4445, 5088

Bibliography

MED leir (n.2) , OED lair (n.2) , HTOED , Bj. 47, de Vries leir, Mag. leir, Orel *laizan, Kroonen *laiza-, EDD leirr