An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Letten

by Friedrich Kluge

Letten, m. ‘(potter's) clay,’ from MidHG. lëtte, OHG. lëtto, m., ‘loam’ (ë is due to the Bav. and Alem. dials.); to this is probably allied the Ic. graded form leþja, ., ‘loam, dirt.’ It is connected by some etymologists with Lat. lŭtum, n., ‘mud, dirt,’ and by others, less probably, with OPruss. laydis, ‘loam,’ whose diphthong, compared with the a of the Teut. word, presents a difficulty.