From Proto-Balto-Slavic *léiˀpāˀ, from Proto-Indo-European *leyp- (“to glue, to paste”), whence also lipt (“to stick, to adhere”). Reflexes of the non-diphthongized stem can be seen in place names like Līpes kalns or Lipaiķi. The name probably came from the soft, pleasant leaves of this tree (or perhaps because of its sticky sap). A different name for the linden tree, from Proto-Indo-European *lento-, can be seen in English lind, linden, German Linde, and is reflected in Latvian lieta (“thing”) (q.v.). Cognates include Lithuanian li̇́epa, Old Prussian lipe ([liːpe]), *leipe (from place names like Leypein, Leypiten), Proto-Slavic *lipa (Ukrainian, Russian ли́па (lípa), Belarusian лі́па (lípa), Bulgarian липа́ (lipá), Czech lípa, Polish lipa). (There were apparently also Germanic cognates — later replaced by reflexes of *lento- — as in the city name Leipciga, today's Leipzig.)