Leather
/ˈlɛð.ər/noun
A tough material made by tanning animal hide.
Did you know?The English word goes back to an ancient Germanic root meaning “to tan” or “to make into leather,” so the material and the action were born together.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dheh₁-
“to put, place, make”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*leþrą
“leather, hide”
Old English
English
leðer
“leather, skin, hide”
Middle English
English
lether
“leather”
Modern English
English
leather
“tanned animal hide”