An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Leim

by Friedrich Kluge

Leim, masculine, ‘glue, birdlime,’ from the equivalent Middle High German, Middle Low German, and Old High German lîm, masculine; corresponding to Dutch lijm, Anglo-Saxon lîm, English lime; Scandinavian lím, neuter, ‘glue, lime’; Gothic *leima is wanting. The common Teutonic lîma- is related by gradation to the common Teutonic laima-, mentioned under Lehm; the primary meaning, ‘earthy, adhesive substance,’ is deduced from the English and Scandinavian signification ‘glue, lime.’ Latin lîmus, ‘slime,’ is more closely connected with High German Lehm in meaning, but with High German Leim in its graded form î. The root lai, by gradation lî, is authenticated by Old Icelandic leir, neuter (see Lehm), and Latin li-no, ‘to rub over.’ Its relation to Greek λειμών, ‘mars,’ and γλοιός, ‘sticky, clammy stuff,’ is less certain.