Where does “lichen” come from?

lichen (Romanian) comes from French lichen, from Latin līchēn, from Ancient Greek λειχήν, from Ancient Greek λείχω, from Proto-Indo-European leyǵʰ- — to lick.

lichen (Romanian): lichen

Definitions

  1. lichen

Ancestry of “lichen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchlichenlichen
2Latinlīchēna cryptogamic species of vegetation growing on trees, lichen
3Ancient GreekλειχήνLiverwort; Lichen-like disease affecting the skin...
4Ancient Greekλείχωto lick up
5Proto-Indo-Europeanleyǵʰ-to lick
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leyǵʰ- →Every word from Ancient Greek λείχω →Every word from Ancient Greek λειχήν →