Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “lake” come from?

Lake comes from French laque, from Middle Dutch laken, from Middle Dutch lac, from Sanskrit लाक्षा, derived from the Proto-Indo-European root leg-.

lake (English): A small stream of running water; a channel for...

Definitions

  1. A small stream of running water; a channel for...

Ancestry of “lake”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishlakelake, watercourse, body of water
2Old Englishlacupool, pond; expanse of water, lake; stream,...
3Proto-West Germaniclakustream; pool, lake
4Finnishlakritsilicorice, liquorice
5Swedishlakritslicorice/liquorice
6Late Latinliquiritia—
7Ancient Greekγλυκύρριζαlicorice
8Ancient Greekγλυκύςsweet
9Proto-Hellenic*dlukús—

Words derived from “lake”

  • lakeside
  • lakeshore
  • lakefront
  • Laker
  • lakelet
  • lakebed
  • lakewater
  • lakeward
  • lakelike
  • lakeland
  • paleolake
  • palaeolake
  • lakefill
  • interlake
  • lakeless
  • lakehead
  • lakeview
  • lakewide
  • lakescape
  • Lakist
  • lakehouse
  • lakeweed
  • lakish
  • lakeport
Every word from Proto-Hellenic *dlukús →