A shaped mass of bread baked as a single unit; by extension, any food item molded into a similar oblong shape.
From Old English hlāf 'bread', related to German Laib 'loaf'. The word 'lord' originally meant 'loaf-ward' (bread keeper), and 'lady' meant 'loaf-kneader', showing bread's central importance in medieval society.
The words 'lord' and 'lady' both derive from bread-making: 'lord' originally meant 'bread-keeper' and 'lady' meant 'bread-kneader'. This reveals how fundamental bread was to medieval household hierarchy and social structure.
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