Etymology Explorer › Dutch

Where does “leek” come from?

leek (Dutch) comes from Middle Dutch lāke, from Old Dutch *laca, from Proto-West Germanic laku, from Finnish lakritsi, from Swedish lakrits, from Late Latin liquiritia, from Ancient Greek γλυκύρριζα, from Ancient Greek γλυκύς.

leek (Dutch): layman, non-clergyman; layman, non-expert,...

Definitions

  1. layman, non-clergyman; layman, non-expert,...

Ancestry of “leek”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Dutchlāke—
2Old Dutch*laca—
3Proto-West Germaniclakustream; pool, lake
4Finnishlakritsilicorice, liquorice
5Swedishlakritslicorice/liquorice
6Late Latinliquiritia—
7Ancient Greekγλυκύρριζαlicorice
8Ancient Greekγλυκύςsweet
9Proto-Hellenic*dlukús—
Every word from Proto-Hellenic *dlukús →