An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/-lei

by Friedrich Kluge

-lei, suffix, ModHG. simply; from MidHG. leie, f., ‘manner, method.’ In MidHG. there was no compound corresponding to ModHG. mancherlei, the expression maneger leie being used as a gen., e.g. maneger leie liute, ‘various sorts of people,’ equiv. to ModHG. mancherlei Leute. MidHG. leie, lei, is generally considered to be a Rom. word borrowed from OFr. and Prov. ley, ‘method’ (Span. and Port. laya, ‘manner,’ is said to be of Basque origin).