Where does “licken” come from?

licken (Middle Dutch) comes from Old Dutch leccon, from Proto-West Germanic likkōn, from Proto-Germanic lekaną, from Proto-Indo-European leg- — to leak.

Ancestry of “licken”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Dutchlecconto lick
2Proto-West Germaniclikkōnto lick
3Proto-GermaniclekanąTo leak; seep; drip
4Proto-Indo-Europeanleg-to leak
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leg- →Every word from Proto-Germanic lekaną →Every word from Proto-West Germanic likkōn →