Where did the phrase Leet come from?

Question

Well I am a gamer, I know it means good, or skilled, and I am thinking it's off the word elite, which means powerful, mighty, alpha. But I'm not positive.... thanks all!!!!

Ahh thanks all!!!

Answer 1

Adjective

leet (comparative more leet, superlative most leet)

1. Of or related to leetspeak.
2. Possessing outstanding skill in a field; expert, masterful.
3. Having superior social rank over others; upper class, elite.

leetspeak (uncountable)

1. A deliberate manner of typing involving the joyful corruption of the language. Particularly known for its alphanumeric substitutions.

Example:
Leetspeak: "1 pwnd sum nubz"
Transliteration: "I owned some newbies."
Proper English: "I defeated several newcomers."

Etymology 1
Compare Old English hlt ("share", "lot").

leet (plural leets)
1. (Scotland) A portion or list, especially a list of candidates for an office.

leet
1. (obsolete) Simple past of let.

Etymology 2
Originated 1400–50 from late Middle English lete ("meeting"), from Anglo-French lete and Mediaeval Latin leta, possibly from Old English gelǣte (crossroads).

leet (plural leets)

1. (UK, obsolete) A regular court in which the certain lords had jurisdiction over local disputes, or the physical area of this jurisdiction.

Etymology 3
leet (plural leets)

1. (zoology) The European pollock.

Etymology 4
An aphetic form of elite

Answer 2

Yes, it comes from the word elete. Leet (written as 31337, 1337, and l33t), or Leetspeak, is a written argot used primarily on the Internet, which uses various combinations of alphanumerics to replace Latinate letters. The term is derived from the word "elite", and the usage it describes is a specialized form of shorthand.

Initially, the word leet was used as an adjective, to primarily describe the behavior or accomplishments of others in the community. In that usage, Leet generally carries the same meaning when referring to either the game prowess or, in original usage, hacking expertise of another person. From adjective form its use then expanded to include use as an expletive in reaction to a demonstration of the former qualities. With the mass proliferation of Internet use in the 1990s into the 21st century, Leet has since become a part of Internet culture and slang.[1] Leet may also be considered a substitution cipher, albeit with much variation from user to user.

Answer 3

Leet or commonly spelled l33t or even 1337, comes from elite- just as you guessed. Just as you thought, it means powerful or alpha, so it stemmed from that on the web.

Answer 4

It came from asian gamers