Where does “lecherous” come from?
lecherous (Middle English) comes from Old French lecherie, from Old French lecher, from Proto-West Germanic likkōn, from Proto-Germanic lekaną, from Proto-Indo-European leg- — to leak.
Ancestry of “lecherous”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old French | lecherie | debauchery; lechery |
| 2 | Old French | lecher | — |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | likkōn | to lick |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | lekaną | To leak; seep; drip |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | leg- | to leak |
Words derived from “lecherous”