Liber/Eleutheros

From Liddell/Scott, 'eleutheros': "Cognate with Latin, "līber" -- fr. Italic "loufero" (cf. Osc. Luvfreis 'Liberi') -- Ultimately from the Indo-European root, "eleudhero". The connexion with Slav. liud, Old High German "liut", etc. 'people' is doubtful."

From Short/Lewis, "liber": "old form, "loebesum et loebertatem antiqui dicebant liberum et libertatem." Ita Graeci "λοιβὴν" et "λείβειν," Paul. ex Fest. p. 121 Müll.; cf. 2. Liber), adj. Gr. root "λιφ-", "λίπτω", to desire; cf. Sanscr. lub-dhas, desirous; Lat. libet, libido."

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R. Hancock following help from O. Cranmer and others suggest:

There's

"_leode_" in Middle English, meaning 'man', but cognate with modern English 'lad', as in Piers Plowman, 1.140-141:
'Þow doted daffe!' quod she, 'dulle are þi wittes.
'To litel Latyn þow lernedest, leode, in þi youþe ...'
which might be modernised as:
'You dotty dafty!' said she, 'dull are your wits.
'Too little Latin you learned, lad, in your youth ...'

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