Ladder
Old English hlǣd(d)er, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch leer and German Leiter .
wiktionary
From Middle English ladder, laddre, from Old English hlǣder, from Proto-Germanic *hlaidrijō (compare Scots ledder, North Frisian ladder, Saterland Frisian Laadere, West Frisian ljedder, Dutch ladder, leer, German Leiter), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱleytro (compare Old Irish clithar(“ hedge”), Umbrian 𐌊𐌋𐌄𐌈𐌓𐌀𐌌(kletram, “ stretcher”)), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱley-(“to lean”). See lean, which is related to lid.
etymonline
ladder (n.)
Old English hlæder "ladder, steps," from Proto-Germanic *hlaidri (source also of Old Frisian hledere, Middle Dutch ledere, Old High German leitara, German Leiter), from suffixed form of PIE root *klei- "to lean" (source also of Greek klimax "ladder"). In late Old English, rungs were læddrestæfæ and the side pieces were ledder steles. The belief that bad things happen to people who walk under ladders is attested from 1787, but its origin likely is more scientific than superstitious.
