Leaf

Leaf
Recorded in several spellings including Leaf, Leafe, Leefe, Life, Liff, Leif, Leaves and Leavis, this is usually an English surname. It has several possible origins. The first is derived from the Old English pre 7th century word "leof", meaning dear or beloved, and as such was an early baptismal name. Later in the Middle Ages it was also used as an affectionate nickname similar to Dear or Darling, which in themselves became relatively popular surnames. Secondly it may have been a topographical nickname for a forester or woodman, one who lived in a "leafy" area, as in the recording of one Robert Intheleaves, in the London charters of the 14th Century. Thirdly it may be a short form of the early Swedish ornamental names such as Lovberg meaning leaf hill, Lovdahl, leaf valley, or Lovquist, leaf twig. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Godwin Lief. This was dated 1198, in the Pipe Rolls of the county of Norfolk, during the reign of King Richard 1st of England, known as "The Lionheart", 1189 - 1199. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was sometimes known as the Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Surnames reference. 2013.

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  • Leaf — (l[=e]f), n.; pl. {Leaves} (l[=e]vz). [OE. leef, lef, leaf, AS. le[ a]f; akin to S. l[=o]f, OFries. laf, D. loof foliage, G. laub, OHG. loub leaf, foliage, Icel. lauf, Sw. l[ o]f, Dan. l[ o]v, Goth. laufs; cf. Lith. lapas. Cf. {Lodge}.] 1. (Bot.) …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Leaf — (v. altengl. leaf „Blatt“) steht für: Leaf (Unternehmen), einen niederländischen Süßwarenhersteller Leaf (Label), ein britisches Independent Label The Album Leaf, ein amerikanisches Musikprojekt Leaf (Spieleentwickler), einen japanischen… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • leaf — [lēf] n. pl. leaves [ME lefe < OE leaf, akin to Du loof, Ger laub < IE base * leubh , to peel off, pull off > Lith lupù, to skin, pare off] 1. any of the flat, thin, expanded organs, usually green, growing laterally from the stem or twig …   English World dictionary

  • Leaf — Leaf, Leaf out Leaf out(l[=e]f), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Leafed} (l[=e]ft); p. pr. & vb. n. {Leafing}.] To shoot out leaves; to produce leaves; to leave; as, the trees leaf in May. Sir T. Browne. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • leaf — ► NOUN (pl. leaves) 1) a flattened, typically green, structure of a plant, that is attached to a stem and is the chief site of photosynthesis and transpiration. 2) the state of having leaves: the trees were in leaf. 3) a single thickness of paper …   English terms dictionary

  • leaf|y — «LEE fee», adjective, leaf|i|er, leaf|i|est. 1. having many leaves; covered with leaves, especially broad leaves: »the leafy woods. 2. resembling a leaf; …   Useful english dictionary

  • leaf — [n1] green foliage of plant blade, bract, flag, foliole, frond, leaflet, needle, pad, petal, petiole, scale, stalk, stipule; concept 428 leaf [n2] page of document folio, paper, sheet; concept 270 leaf [v] flip through browse, dip into, glance …   New thesaurus

  • leaf — The noun has the plural form leaves, and the verb has inflected forms leafs, leafed, leafing (He was leafing through a book) …   Modern English usage

  • leaf|er|y — «LEE fuhr ee, LEEF ree», noun, plural er|ies. = leafage. (Cf. ↑leafage) …   Useful english dictionary

  • Leaf — For other uses, see Leaf (disambiguation). The leaves of a Beech tree …   Wikipedia

  • leaf — leafless, adj. leaflike, adj. /leef/, n., pl. leaves /leevz/, v. n. 1. one of the expanded, usually green organs borne by the stem of a plant. 2. any similar or corresponding lateral outgrowth of a stem. 3. a petal: a rose leaf. 4. leaves… …   Universalium

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