Etymology

Formed of loʒe + OE -nes.

PGmc Ancestor

*lēga-

Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)

lágr ‘low’
(ONP lágr (adj.))

Other Scandinavian Reflexes

Far lágur, Icel lágur, Norw låg, Dan lav, Sw låg

OE Cognate

lǣg- ‘fallow, uncultivated’

Phonological and morphological markers

ON /ɑ:/ < PGmc */e:/ (1)

absence of palatalization of */ɡ/

Summary category

A1*

Attestation

Widespread from early ME.

Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus

WA 2706

Bibliography

MED lounes(se n., OED lowness n., Dance loʒe, Bj. 90, SPS 483–4, de Vries lágr, Mag. lágur, Heid. lǣga-, Orel *lēʒaz, Kroonen *lēgu-, AEW lǣg-æcer, EPNE lágr