Lee

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -iː
• Homophones: lea

Origin

From Middle English lee, from Old English hlēo, hlēow ("shelter, protection"), from Proto-Germanic *hliwą (compare German Lee ("lee"), lau ("lukewarm"), Swedish lä, Danish læ, Old Norse hlé, Dutch lij), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱley- (compare Welsh clyd ("warm, cozy"), Latin calēre ("to warm up"), Lithuanian šiltas ("warm, pleasant"), Sanskrit शरद् (śarad, "autumn")).

Full definition of lee

Noun

1. (sailing) A protected cove or harbor, out of the wind.
2. (sailing) The side of the ship away from the wind.
3. A sheltered place, especially a place protected from the wind by some object; the side sheltered from the wind; shelter; protection.the lee of a mountain, an island, or a ship
• Morte d'ArthureWe lurked under lee.
• TyndallDesiring me to take shelter in his lee.

Derived terms

• alee
• leeward
• leeway

Anagrams

• eel
• ELE