sleep

Where does the word "sleep" come from? It comes from Proto-Germanic slēpaną, passing through Old English before entering English (1500s).

Sleep’s story begins in Proto-Germanic: slēpaną meant “to sleep.” Perhaps from a root meaning to go slack or weak. By 700s-1000s, the word had taken hold in Old English as slǣpan. 'slǣp' was also a poetic word for death. It reached English by 1500s as sleep. 'slept' replaced the older past tense 'slep'. Today, sleep means to rest with the eyes closed and the mind unconscious.

1. Stage 1 · Proto-Germanic · ancient slēpaną "to sleep", perhaps from a root meaning to go slack or weak.
2. Stage 2 · Old English · 700s-1000s slǣpan "to sleep", 'slǣp' was also a poetic word for death.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s sleep "to sleep", 'slept' replaced the older past tense 'slep'.