Where does “leprechaun” come from?
leprechaun (Italian) comes from English leprechaun, from Irish leipreachán, from Middle Irish luchrupán, from Old Irish luchorpán, from Old Irish corp, from Latin corpus, from Proto-Italic korpos, from Proto-Indo-European krépos — body.
leprechaun (Italian): leprechaun
Ancestry of “leprechaun”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | leprechaun | One of a race of elves that can reveal hidden... |
| 2 | Irish | leipreachán | — |
| 3 | Middle Irish | luchrupán | — |
| 4 | Old Irish | luchorpán | — |
| 5 | Old Irish | corp | body; corpse; Eucharist, Communion |
| 6 | Latin | corpus | body, person; substance, material; the flesh of... |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | korpos | body |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | krépos | body |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | krep- | body |