Where does “lake” come from?
lake (Middle English) comes from Old English lacu, from Proto-West Germanic laku, from Finnish lakritsi, from Swedish lakrits, from Late Latin liquiritia, from Ancient Greek γλυκύρριζα, from Ancient Greek γλυκύς, from Proto-Hellenic *dlukús.
lake (Middle English): lake, watercourse, body of water
Definitions
- lake, watercourse, body of water
Ancestry of “lake”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | lacu | pool, pond; expanse of water, lake; stream,... |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | laku | stream; pool, lake |
| 3 | Finnish | lakritsi | licorice, liquorice |
| 4 | Swedish | lakrits | licorice/liquorice |
| 5 | Late Latin | liquiritia | — |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | γλυκύρριζα | licorice |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | γλυκύς | sweet |
| 8 | Proto-Hellenic | *dlukús | — |