An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Leute

by Friedrich Kluge

Leute, plur only, ‘people,’ from Middle High German liute, masculine and neuter plural, ‘people, persons,’ with the singular liut, masculine and neuter, ‘nation’; Old High German liuti, masculine and neuter plural, ‘people,’ also liut, masculine and neuter, ‘nation’; corresponding to Anglo-Saxon leóde, plural, ‘people’. It is uncertain whether we have to assume *liudus, ‘nation,’ in Gothic. The word is common to Teutonic and Slavonic; Old Slovenian ljudŭ, masculine, ‘nation,’ plural,’ ljudije, ‘people,’ Lettic laudis, masculine plural, ‘people, nation.’ They are connected with an Aryan root ludh, ‘to grow,’ which retained its meaning in Gothic liudan, Old Saxon liodan, Anglo-Saxon leódan, Old High German liotan; compare the Sanscrit root ruh, ‘to grow.’ The following Teutonic words are also connected with the same stem, Gothic lauþs (genitive laudis) in swalauþs, ‘so great,’ samalauþs, ‘equally great, equal,’ juggalauþs, ‘youth,’ Middle High German lôte, ‘constituted’; Gothic ludjô-, feminine, ‘face’; Anglo-Saxon leód, masculine, ‘king.’