Where does “lockkeeper” come from?

lockkeeper (English) comes from English Lock, from Middle English lok, from Old English lāc, from Proto-West Germanic laik, from Proto-Germanic laikaz, from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ- — to bind, tie.

lockkeeper (English): The person assigned to look after a canal or...

Definitions

  1. The person assigned to look after a canal or...

Ancestry of “lockkeeper”, step by step

lockkeeper traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Lock

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishLockfrom the surname
2Middle Englishloklock
3Old Englishlācplay, sport, strife, battle, sacrifice, offering,...
4Proto-West Germaniclaikgame, sport
5Proto-Germaniclaikazdance; game, sport; hymn
6Proto-Indo-Europeanleyǵ-to bind, tie

via English keeper

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishkeeperOne who keeps something; A person or thing worth...
2Middle Englishkepere—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic laikaz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic laik →