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Etymology
Dictionary
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Origin of the word ALOFT. Etymology of the word
ALOFT.
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From An Etymology
Dictionary of the English Language, by Walter W. Skeat, 1893 |
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ALOFT, in
the air. (Scand.) 1. For on lofte. In P.
Plowman, B. i. 90, we find 'agrounde and aloft;' but in the same poem, A.
i. 88, the reading is 'on grounde and on lofte.' 2. On
lofte signifies 'in the air,' i.e. on high. The A.S. prep. on
frequently means 'in;' and is here used to translate the Icel. á, which
is really the same word. 3. The phrase is, strictly, Scandinavian,
viz. Icel. á lopt, aloft, in the air (the Icel. -pt being sounded like the E.
-ft, to which it answers). The Icel. lopt = A.S. lyft, the air;
whence M.E. lift, the air, still preserved in prov. E. and used by Burns in his
Winter Night, l. 4. Cf. G. luft, the air; Gothic luftus, the
air. See Loft,
Lift.
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| Etymology
Dictionary Index |
| A, B,
C, D, E,
F, G, H,
I, J, K,
L, M, N,
O, P, Q,
R, S, T,
U, V, W,
X, Y, Z
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| Key |
| Arab.=Arabic. |
| A.S.=Anglo
Saxon. |
| Bavar.=Bavarian |
| Bohem.=Bohemian. |
| C.=Celtic,
used as a general term for Irish, Gaelic, Welsh, Breton,
Cornish, &c. |
| Corn.=Cornish. |
| Dan.=Danish. |
| Du.=Dutch |
| E.=English. |
| E.E.=Early
English. |
| Europ.=European. |
| F.=French. |
| G.=German. |
| Gk.=Greek. |
| Goth.=Gothic. |
| Icel.=Icelandic. |
| Ital.=Italian. |
| L. or
Lat.=Latin. |
| Lith.
& Lithuan.=Lithuanian. |
| M.E.=Middle
English. |
| M.F.=Middle
French |
| M.H.G.=Middle
High German. |
| Norw.=Norwegian. |
| O.F.=Old
French. |
| O.H.G.=Old
High German. |
| Pers.=Persian. |
| Port.=Portuguese. |
| Scand.=Scandinavian,
used as a general term for Icelandic, Swedish, Danish,
&c. |
| Sc.=Scottish. |
| Skt.=Sanskrit. |
| Span.=Spanish. |
| Swed.=Sweish. |
| Teut.=Teutonic |
| Turk.=Turkish. |
| W.=Welsh. |
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