An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/laß

by Friedrich Kluge

laß, adj., ‘inactive, idle,’ from MidHG. laȥ (ȥȥ), ‘faint, idle, tardy’ (see letzen); it corresponds to Goth. lats, OIc. latr, AS. lœt, MidLG. lat, adj., ‘sluggish, idle, lazy.’ A pre-Teut. adj. formed by gradation from the stem of lassen, lêt, of which lăt- is the weak form (see schlaff, OHG. slăf, from the root slêp). The close correspondence with Lat. lassus may be accounted for historically; lassus is an old partic. for *ladtus; lad is the pre-Teut. root on which ModHG. laß is based; comp. lasch, lassen, and letzt. The assumption, however, that HG. laß was borrowed from the Rom. cognates (Ital. lasso, Fr. las, Lat. lassus) is inconceivable.