Where does “leech” come from?
leech (West Frisian) comes from Old Frisian lēch, from Proto-Germanic lēgaz, from Proto-Indo-European legʰ- — to lie.
leech (West Frisian): low; empty
Ancestry of “leech”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Frisian | lēch | — |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | lēgaz | low; flat, level with the ground |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | legʰ- | to lie |