Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “-lock” come from?

-lock (English) comes from Middle English -lok, from Old English -lāc, from Proto-Germanic laiką, from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ- — to bind, tie.

-lock (English): action or proceeding, practice, ritual

Definitions

  1. action or proceeding, practice, ritual

Ancestry of “-lock”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle English-lok—
2Old English-lācgift
3Proto-Germaniclaikągame, sport
4Proto-Indo-Europeanleyǵ-to bind, tie
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ- →