loft

{{11}}loft (n.) "an upper chamber," c.1300, from late O.E. loft "the sky; the sphere of the air," from O.N. lopt "air, sky," originally "upper story, loft, attic" (Scandinavian -pt- pronounced like -ft-), from P.Gmc. *luftuz "air, sky" (Cf. O.E. lyft, Du. lucht, O.H.G. luft, Ger. Luft, Goth. luftus "air"). Sense development is from "loft, ceiling" to "sky, air." Buck suggests ultimate connection with O.H.G. louft "bark," louba "roof, attic," etc., with development from "bark" to "roof made of bark" to "ceiling," though this did not directly inform the meaning "air, sky." But Watkins says this is "probably a separate Germanic root." Meaning "gallery in a church" first attested c.1500.

{{12}}loft (v.) "to hit a ball high in the air," 1856, originally in golf, from LOFT (Cf. loft) (n.). Related: Lofted; lofting. An earlier sense was "to put a loft on" (a building), 1560s; also "to store (goods) in a loft" (1510s).