An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Blei

by Friedrich Kluge

Blei, neuter ‘lead,’ from the equivalent Middle High German blî (Gen. blîwes), Old High German blîo (for *blîw), ‘lead’; it corresponds to Old Icelandic blý; Gothic *bleiwa- is wanting. The word cannot be traced farther back; it is not found in English, the term used being lead (Dutch loot; compare Let).