-let

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | 1996 | 574 words | Copyright

-let suffix used since XVI, but not freq. till XVIII, to form diminutives; presumably deduced from bracelet, crosslet, etc., which appear to be f. brace, cross, but which are actually — F. words formed by the addition of -ette (-ET) to sbs. ending in -el, or from tartlet, which is — F. tartelette, dim. of tarte TART, through the by-form tartre, whence *tarterette, and by dissim. tartelette.
Armlet, necklet, wristlet, denoting ornaments for parts of the body, were perh. first suggested by a false analysis of frontlet, and furthered by the common bracelet.

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T. F. HOAD. "-let." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "-let." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-let2.html

T. F. HOAD. "-let." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-let2.html

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