Where does “lightscot” come from?

lightscot (English) comes from English Light, from Middle English light, from Old English lēoht, from Proto-West Germanic leuht, from Proto-Germanic leuhtą, from Proto-Indo-European lewktom, from Proto-Indo-European lewk- — bright; to shine; to see.

lightscot (English): A tax exacted to pay for candles or oil for lighting church lamps

Definitions

  1. A tax exacted to pay for candles or oil for lighting church lamps

Ancestry of “lightscot”, step by step

lightscot traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Light

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishLightA place name
2Middle EnglishlightThe radiation which allows for vision by...
3Old Englishlēohtluminous, bright, light, clear, resplendent,...
4Proto-West Germanicleuhtlight, bright; light
5Proto-Germanicleuhtąlight
6Proto-Indo-Europeanlewktom
7Proto-Indo-Europeanlewk-bright; to shine; to see

via English Scot

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishScotA person born in or native to Scotland
2Middle Englishscotpayment
3Old EnglishScotshot, act of shooting
4Old Norseskot
5Proto-Germanicskutąshot
6Proto-Indo-European(s)kewd-to advance, push; to drive, propel
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewk-
lightscot — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer