lista (Swedish)

Where does "lista" come from?

The Swedish noun 'lista' connects directly to 'list', which originally meant a 'strip' or 'border'[1]. It entered the language through Old Swedish 'lista', likely borrowed from Middle Low German 'lîste'[2]. This Germanic lineage extends further back to Old Saxon '*līsta', which descended from Proto-West Germanic '*līstā' and ultimately Proto-Germanic '*līstǭ'[2].

Open questions

• The derivation of Old Swedish 'lista' from Middle Low German 'lîste' is considered probable rather than fully certain. [2]
• The intermediate forms '*līsta' in Old Saxon, '*līstā' in Proto-West Germanic, and '*līstǭ' in Proto-Germanic are reconstructed and not directly attested in written records. [2]

Full etymology tree

• lista (Swedish), 'a list; a register or roll of paper consisting of an enumeration or compilation of a set of possible items.'
  • derived list (Swedish), 'a long, thin strip (of wood (or metal or the like), to conceal a joint (or for isolation or decoration), like for example a thin and long board), a border, a beading, edging'
    • inherited lista (Old Swedish)
      • borrowed lîste (Middle Low German)
        • inherited *līsta (Old Saxon)
          • inherited *līstā (Proto-West Germanic)
            • inherited *līstǭ (Proto-Germanic), 'strip; band; hem; selvage; list'

Descendants and derived words

• checklista (Swedish)
• deltagarlista (Swedish)
• föredragningslista (Swedish)
• försäljningslista (Swedish)
• gästlista (Swedish)
• hitlista (Swedish)
• inbjudningslista (Swedish)
• inköpslista (Swedish)
• kandidatlista (Swedish)
• kölista (Swedish)
• låtlista (Swedish)
• litteraturlista (Swedish)

Sources

1. lista (Swedish) - Wiktionary
2. list (Swedish) - Wiktionary

Updated October 2026

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Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris