leer

== English == === Pronunciation === (non-rhotic) (Received Pronunciation, General Australian) IPA(key): /ˈlɪə̯/, [ˈlɪə̯] (New South Wales, Queensland) IPA(key): /ˈlɪː/, [ˈlɪː] (New Zealand) IPA(key): /ˈlɪ̝ə̯/, [ˈlɪ̝ə̯]; /ˈliə̯/, [ˈliə̯] (East Anglia, cheer–chair merger) IPA(key): /ˈlɛː/, [ˈlɛː] (rhotic) (US) IPA(key): /ˈlɪɚ/, [ˈlɪɚ] ~ [ˈlɪɹ̩] (Scotland) IPA(key): /ˈliɹ/, [ˈliɹ] Rhymes: -ɪə(ɹ) Hyphenation: leer Homophones: lear; lair (cheer–chair merger) === Etymology 1 === Exact development uncertain, but apparently from a verb *leer (“to make a face, look sideways”), from leer (“cheek, face, profile”). ==== Verb ==== leer (third-person singular simple present leers, present participle leering, simple past and past participle leered) (intransitive) To look sideways or obliquely; now especially with sexual desire or malicious intent. Synonym: ogle (transitive) To entice with a leer or leers. ===== Conjugation ===== ===== Translations ===== ==== Noun ==== leer (plural leers) A significant side glance; a glance expressive of some passion, as malignity, amorousness, etc.; a sly or lecherous look. An arch or affected glance or cast of countenance. ===== Translations ===== ==== Derived terms ==== === Etymology 2 === From Middle English ler, leor (“face, cheek”), from Old English hlēor (“face, cheek, profile”), from Proto-West Germanic *hleuʀ, from Proto-Germanic *hleuzą (“ear, cheek”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱlews- (“temple of the forehead, cheek”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱlew- (“to hear”). Cognate with Scots lire, lere (“face, appearance, complexion”), Dutch lier (“cheek”), Swedish lyra (“pout”), Norwegian lia (“hillside”), Icelandic hlýr (“the face, cheek, countenance”). Related to Old English hlyst (“sense of hearing, listening”) and hlysnan (“to listen”). More at list, listen. ==== Alternative forms ==== lyre, lire, lere ==== Noun ==== leer (plural leers) (obsolete) The cheek. (obsolete) The face. (obsolete) One's appearance; countenance. (obsolete) Complexion; hue; colour. (obsolete) Flesh; skin. (UK dialectal) The flank or loin. === Etymology 3 === From Middle English lere, from Old English ġelǣr, *lǣre (“empty, void, empty-handed”), from Proto-Germanic *lēziz, *lēzijaz (“empty”), from Proto-Indo-European *les- (“to collect, pick”). Cognate with Dutch laar (“a clearing in the woods”), German leer (“empty”). Related to Old English lesan (“to gather, collect”). More at lease. ==== Alternative forms ==== lear ==== Adjective ==== leer (comparative more leer, superlative most leer) (obsolete) Empty; unoccupied; clear. Synonyms: vacant, void; see also Thesaurus:empty Destitute; lacking; wanting. Synonyms: absent, awanting; see also Thesaurus:lacking Faint from lack of food; hungry. (UK dialectal) Thin; faint. (obsolete) Having no load or burden; free; without a rider. Lacking sense or seriousness; trifling; frivolous. ===== Derived terms ===== === Etymology 4 === From Middle English leren, from Old English lǣran (“to teach, instruct, guide, enjoin, advise, persuade, urge, preach, hand down”), from Proto-West Germanic *laiʀijan, from Proto-Germanic *laizijaną (“to teach”), from Proto-Indo-European *leys- (“track, footprint, furrow, trace”). Cognate with Dutch leren (“to teach, to learn”), German lehren (“to teach”), Swedish lära (“to teach”). Related to Old English lār (“lore, learning, science, art of teaching, preaching, doctrine, study, precept, exhortation, advice, instigation, history, story, cunning”). See lore. ==== Verb ==== leer (third-person singular simple present leers, present participle leering, simple past and past participle leered) (transitive, obsolete) To teach. (transitive, obsolete) To learn. === Etymology 5 === See lehr. ==== Noun ==== leer (plural leers) Alternative form of lehr. === Anagrams === Erle, LREE, Reel, reel == Afrikaans == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /lɪər/ === Etymology 1 === From Dutch leren, from Middle Dutch lêren, from Old Dutch lēren, from Proto-Germanic *laizijaną. ==== Verb ==== leer (present leer, present participle lerende, past participle geleer) To learn. === Etymology 2 === From Dutch leer, from Middle Dutch lêre, from Old Dutch lēra, from Proto-Germanic *laizō. ==== Noun ==== leer (uncountable) A teaching. === Etymology 3 === From Dutch leer, from older leder, from Middle Dutch lēder, from Old Dutch *lether, from Proto-Germanic *leþrą. ==== Noun ==== leer (uncountable) leather === Etymology 4 === From Dutch leer (dialectal synonym of ladder), from Middle Dutch leer. ==== Noun ==== leer (plural lere) A ladder. ===== Descendants ===== → Sotho: lere → Xhosa: ileli == Danish == === Pronunciation === Rhymes: -eːˀər === Noun === leer c indefinite plural of le == Dutch == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /leːr/ Hyphenation: leer Rhymes: -eːr === Etymology 1 === From leder through regular syncope of intervocalic -d- (compare weer, blij, la), from Middle Dutch leder, from Old Dutch *lether, from Proto-West Germanic *leþr, from Proto-Germanic *leþrą. ==== Noun ==== leer n (uncountable, no diminutive) leather Synonym: leder Deze tas is gemaakt van hoogwaardig leer en is zeer duurzaam. ― This bag is made of high-quality leather and is very durable. Ik hou van de geur van vers leer, het is zo karakteristiek. ― I love the smell of fresh leather, it's so distinctive. ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Descendants ===== Afrikaans: leer Negerhollands: leër, leer → Aukan: leli → Sranan Tongo: leri === Etymology 2 === From Middle Dutch lêre, from Old Dutch lēra, from Proto-West Germanic *laiʀu, from Proto-Germanic *laizō. ==== Noun ==== leer f (plural leren, diminutive leertje n) doctrine In de filosofie zijn er verschillende leren en opvattingen over de aard van de werkelijkheid. ― In philosophy, there are various doctrines and views on the nature of reality. theory, teachings Deze wetenschappelijke studie is gebaseerd op de nieuwste leren en onderzoek op het gebied van genetica. ― This scientific study is based on the latest theory and research in the field of genetics. De afdeling biologie biedt verschillende leren aan, zoals celbiologie, ecologie en moleculaire biologie. ― The biology department offers various fields of learning such as cell biology, ecology, and molecular biology. a field of learning; set of lessons and theory on a subject within a discipline ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Descendants ===== Afrikaans: leer Negerhollands: leer === Etymology 3 === From Middle Dutch leer, contraction of ledere. ==== Noun ==== leer f (plural leren, no diminutive) (dialectal, dated) alternative form of ladder ===== Descendants ===== Afrikaans: leer === Etymology 4 === See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form. ==== Verb ==== leer inflection of leren: first-person singular present indicative (in case of inversion) second-person singular present indicative imperative === Anagrams === lere == Estonian == === Etymology 1 === From Middle Low German leger, lager. Etymological twin of laager. ==== Noun ==== leer (genitive leeri, partitive leeri) A camp A side (in a conflict) ===== Declension ===== === Etymology 2 === From Middle Low German lere (“study, learning”). ==== Noun ==== leer (genitive leeri, partitive leeri) A (protestant) confirmation into the faithful community. ===== Declension ===== == German == === Etymology === From Middle High German lēr, lēre, lǣre, from Old High German lāri, from Proto-West Germanic *lāʀi, from Proto-Germanic *lēziz. Cognate with Bavarian lar, Dutch laar, English leer. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /leːɐ̯/ Homophone: lehr Rhymes: -eːɐ̯ === Adjective === leer (strong nominative masculine singular leerer, comparative leerer, superlative am leersten) empty Synonym: inhaltslos Antonyms: voll, gefüllt ==== Declension ==== ==== Derived terms ==== Leere leeren ==== Related terms ==== Leergewicht leerlaufen nichtleer halb leer === Verb === leer singular imperative of leeren (colloquial) first-person singular present of leeren === Further reading === “leer” in Duden online “leer”, in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache‎[1] (in German) == North Frisian == === Alternative forms === lees (Föhr-Amrum) leese (Mooring) === Etymology === From Old Frisian *hletha (attested in the past participle hleden), from Proto-West Germanic *hlaþan. === Verb === leer (Sylt) to load ==== Conjugation ==== == Norwegian Bokmål == === Verb === leer present tense of lee == Old Galician-Portuguese == === Etymology === Inherited from Latin lēgere. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /leˈeɾ/ === Verb === leer to read === Verb === leer to read ==== Conjugation ==== === Related terms === === Descendants === Galician: ler Portuguese: ler === Further reading === Universo Cantigas - "leer" == Old Leonese == === Alternative forms === lleer === Etymology === Inherited from Latin lēgere. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ʎeˈeɾ/ === Verb === leer to read ==== Descendants ==== Asturian: lleer, ller, (Western) llier Mirandese: lher == Pennsylvania German == === Etymology === From Middle High German lǣre, from Old High German lāri. Compare German leer. === Adjective === leer empty == Romansh == === Etymology === From Latin aēr, with the initial 'l' added from a preceding definite article. === Noun === leer m (Sutsilvan) air ==== Synonyms ==== (Rumantsch Grischun, Sursilvan, Sutsilvan, Surmiran) aria (Puter, Vallader) ajer == Spanish == === Etymology === Inherited from Old Spanish leer, from Latin legēre (“to collect, gather; to read”). Cognate with English legend, legible, lesson. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /leˈeɾ/ [leˈeɾ] Rhymes: -eɾ Syllabification: le‧er === Verb === leer (first-person singular present leo, first-person singular preterite leí, past participle leído) to read Synonym: (Belize) ridear ==== Conjugation ==== ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== ==== Descendants ==== === Further reading === “leer”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025