Etymology From Middle English laver, lavre, lever, levre, laber (“a kind of water plant”), from Old English læfer, leber (“a rush (plant)”), a borrowing from Latin laver (“water plant”).
1
A red alga/seaweed, Porphyra umbilicalis (syn. Porphyra laciniata), eaten as a vegetable.
To roast a leg, haunch, or saddle of mutton. […] A modern refinement is to put laver in the dripping-pan, which, in basting, imparts a high gout; or a large saddle may be served over a pound and a half of laver, stewed in brown sauce with catsup and seasonings.1847, Margaret Dods [pseudonym; Christian Isobel Johnstone], “Roasting”, in The Cook and Housewife’s Manual. […], 8th edition, Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd; London; Simpkin, Marshall, & Co., →OCLC, paragraph 19, pages 106–107:
2
Other seaweeds similar in appearance or use, especially
› Other seaweeds similar in appearance or use…
3
Porphyra vulgaris
Derived terms
black laver, green laver, kelp laver, laverbread, laver slack, laver sloke, lettuce laver, northern pink laver, pale patch laver, purple laver, red laver, tough laver, winter laver
Etymology From Middle English laver, lavour, from Old French laveoir, laveor, laveour, lavor, lavur, from Latin lavātōrium. Doublet of lavatorium and lavatory.
1
Where one laves, a washroom, particularly a lavatorium, the washing area in a monastery.
2
That which laves, particularly a washbasin.
Infinit streames continually did well / Out of this fountaine, sweet and faire to see, / The which into an ample lauer fell […]1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto XII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
3
The spiritual washing or ablution of baptism.
She was afterwards regenerated by the laver of holy baptism, and lived for many years in the service of that knight (as I have frequently heard from him and his family), and was rather loose and wanton in her conduct.1850, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, London: H.G. Bohn, page 282: