Leize is a widespread hydronymic root meaning 'pit', or 'ravine'. It appears in modern Basque dictionaries as leze 'cave'.
It may be found at the origin of river or place names as:
Rivers and valleys the Leitzaran (from Leize Haran 'valley of the Leize'), a river from Leitza in Navarre the Léez, a left tributary of the Adour the Léès, a right tributary of the Léez the Leze, a river flowing through a cave in Araia the Lèze, a left tributary of the Ariège the Lèze and the Lezà, two small tributaries of the Baïse de Lasseube the Lez (river), a coastal river in Hérault the Lez (Salat), a left tributary of the Salat (Ariège) the Lez (Rhône), a left tributary of the Rhône the Leza, the Lezo, in La Rioja, Spain the Lizonne or Nizonne, a tributary of the Dronne (Dordogne basin) the Lizou, a tributary of the Arcis (Adour basin) the Lis or Lys, a left tributary of the Échez (Adour basin) the Lis or Lys, a right tributary of the Bouès (Adour basin) the Lis Circus where the ski resort of Cauterets is located. the Lis Valley near Luchon in the Pyrenees. the Lys, a left tributary of the Layon (Anjou).
On the other hand, the Lys or Leie is based on another root, the Gaulish word liga 'silt'.
Municipalities
Lées-Athas, commune of the Aspe Valley (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) Les, municipality of the Val d'Aran. Lez, commune of Haute-Garonne Lez, former commune of Aveyron, today integrated into Taussac Lez, village of the commune of Saint-Béat in Haute-Garonne. Lys, commune of Pyrénées-Atlantiques Saint-Lys (ex Saint-Nicolas de Lys), commune in the southwest of Toulouse. Leizpartz, a hamlet of Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry
Antroponyms Lexeia, an antiquated Aquitanian and Basque female name, for example, documentary film director, Lexeia Larrañaga de Val.
See also Loch
References