Etymology Explorer › Latin

Where does “lēpra” come from?

lēpra (Latin) comes from Ancient Greek λέπρα, from Ancient Greek λεπρός, from Ancient Greek λεπίς, from Ancient Greek λέπω — peel, strip off the rind or husk.

Ancestry of “lēpra”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Ancient Greekλέπραleprosy
2Ancient Greekλεπρόςscaly, scabby, rough; leprous, mangy
3Ancient Greekλεπίςscale, flake, shell, husk; epithelial debris;...
4Ancient Greekλέπωpeel, strip off the rind or husk
Every word from Ancient Greek λέπω →