Etymology Explorer › Middle English

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

  1. lake, watercourse, body of water

Ancestry of “lake”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishlacupool, pond; expanse of water, lake; stream,...
2Proto-West Germaniclakustream; pool, lake
3Finnishlakritsilicorice, liquorice
4Swedishlakritslicorice/liquorice
5Late Latinliquiritia—
6Ancient Greekγλυκύρριζαlicorice
7Ancient Greekγλυκύςsweet
8Proto-Hellenic*dlukús—

Words derived from “lake”

  • lake
  • lakeside
  • lakeshore
  • lakefront
  • Laker
  • lakelet
  • lakebed
  • lakewater
  • lakeward
  • lakelike
  • lakeland
  • paleolake
  • palaeolake
  • lakefill
  • interlake
  • lakeless
  • lakehead
  • lakeview
  • lakewide
  • lakescape
  • Lakist
  • lakehouse
  • lakeweed
  • lakish
Every word from Proto-Hellenic *dlukús →