An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/-lei

by Friedrich Kluge

-lei, suffix, Modern High German simply; from Middle High German leie, feminine, ‘manner, method.’ In Middle High German there was no compound corresponding to Modern High German mancherlei, the expression maneger leie being used as a genitive, e.g. maneger leie liute, ‘various sorts of people,’ equivalent to Modern High German mancherlei Leute. Middle High German leie, lei, is generally considered to be a Romance word borrowed from Old French and Provençal ley, ‘method’ (Spanish and Portuguese laya, ‘manner,’ is said to be of Basque origin).