Where does “loch” come from?
Loch comes from Scottish Gaelic loch, from Old Irish loch, from Proto-Indo-European lókus, ultimately deriving from the Proto-Indo-European root klek-.
loch (English): A lake; A bay or arm of the sea; Alternative form...
Definitions
- A lake; A bay or arm of the sea; Alternative form...
Ancestry of “loch”, step by step
loch traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English lough
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | lough | lake; loch |
| 2 | Scottish Gaelic | loch | lake; arm of the sea; fjord |
| 3 | Old Irish | loch | lake; inlet of the sea; black, dark |
| 4 | Proto-Celtic | loku | lake, pool |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | lókus | pond, pool |
via Irish loch
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Irish | loch | lake |