Where does “loanshark” come from?

loanshark (English) comes from English loan, from Scottish Gaelic lòn, from Middle Irish lon, from Old Irish lón, from Proto-Celtic *lawano-, from Proto-Indo-European lewH- — louse.

loanshark (English): To commit usury (to loan money at an excessive rate of interest), especially if collecting under threat of violence

Definitions

  1. To commit usury (to loan money at an excessive rate of interest), especially if collecting under threat of violence

Ancestry of “loanshark”, step by step

loanshark traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English loan

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishloanAn act or instance of lending, an act or instance...
2Scottish Gaeliclònpool
3Middle Irishlon—
4Old Irishlónfat; provision, food, victuals, sustenance; feast
5Proto-Celtic*lawano-—
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanlewH-louse

via English shark

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsharkA scaleless, predatory fish of the superorder...
2GermanSchurkevillain, scoundrel
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewH- →