Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “likken” come from?

likken (Middle English) comes from Old English liccian, from Proto-West Germanic likkōn, from Proto-Germanic lekaną, from Proto-Indo-European leg- — to leak.

Ancestry of “likken”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishliccianto lick
2Proto-West Germaniclikkōnto lick
3Proto-GermaniclekanąTo leak; seep; drip
4Proto-Indo-Europeanleg-to leak

Words derived from “likken”

  • lick
  • licking
  • cowlick
  • relick
  • bootlick
  • lickable
  • licketh
  • licky
  • cowlicked
  • deerlick
  • lickpenny
  • unlickable
  • lickest
  • midlick
  • arslikhan
  • lickably
  • overlick
  • arse-licking
  • licksome
  • lickport
  • outlick
  • interlick
  • lick clean
  • facelick
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leg- →