lai

Meaning

Noun

• A mostly North European medieval form of lyrical, narrative poem written in octosyllabic couplets that often deals with tales of adventure and romance., with stanzas that do not repeat.

Origin

• From Middle English lai, lay, from Old French lai ("song, lyric, poem"), from Old Frankish *laik, *laih, from Proto-Germanic *laikaz, *laikiz, from Proto-Indo-European *leyg-. Akin to Old High German leih ("a play, skit, melody, song"), Middle High German leich ("piece of music, epic song played on a harp"), Gothic 𐌻𐌰𐌹𐌺𐍃 ("a dance"), Old English lācan ("to move quickly, fence, sing"). More at lake.