definitions

ley

1
[ ley, lee ]
/ leɪ, li /
|

noun, adjective

lea1.

RELATED CONTENT

khaleesiRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE

Nearby words

lexigraphy, lexington, lexington and concord, battle of, lexington park, lexis, ley, ley farming, leyden, leyden jar, leyden, lucas van, leydig

Definition for ley (2 of 3)

ley

2
[ ley ]
/ leɪ /

noun

leu.

Definition for ley (3 of 3)

ley

3
[ ley ]
/ leɪ /

noun

a pewter containing about 80 percent tin and 20 percent lead.

Origin of ley

3
aphetic variant of obsolete aley alloy
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for ley

British Dictionary definitions for ley

ley

/ (leɪ, liː) /

noun

arable land put down to grass; grassland or pastureland
Also called: ley line a line joining two prominent points in the landscape, thought to be the line of a prehistoric track

Word Origin for ley

C14: variant of lea 1
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for ley

ley

n.

"line of a prehistoric track; alignment of natural and artificial features," 1922 [Alfred Watkins], apparently a variant of lea. Popular topic in Britain in 1920s and 30s and again in 1960s-70s.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper