An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Leid

by Friedrich Kluge

Leid, n., ‘harm, hurt, sorrow,’ from MidHG. leit (d), n., ‘affliction, pain, evil’ (as adj. ‘afflicting’), OHG. leid, n., ‘that which causes affliction; harm, pain’ (leid, adj., ‘afflicting, repugnant, hateful’). Comp. AS. lâþ, ‘offence, wrong, hostile, hateful, inimical’; E. loath, adj., to loathe, OIc. leiþr, ‘hostile, hateful.’ Probably the abstr. subst. is orig. nothing more than the neut. of the adj., which passed into Rom. at a very early period (comp. Ital. laido, ‘ugly,’ Fr. laid). See further under leiden and leider.