læce

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Old English

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Alternative forms

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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From Proto-West Germanic *lākī, from Proto-Germanic *lēkijaz. Cognate with Old Frisian lētza, Old Saxon lāki, Old High German lāhhi, Old Norse *lækir, Gothic 𐌻𐌴𐌺𐌴𐌹𐍃 (lēkeis).

Noun

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lǣċe m

  1. doctor (physician)
  2. (in compounds) medical
Declension
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Descendants
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  • Middle English: leche

Etymology 2

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Probably assimilated to Etymology 1 above, by popular etymology, though its use probably predated the term for a doctor.

Of uncertain ultimate origin, but possibly from a Germanic base meaning "to pluck, tear" (compare Old High German liochan (to tear)), evolving into "suck," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *lewǵ- (to break, tear), see also Ancient Greek λευγαλέος (leugaléos), λυγρός (lugrós), Sanskrit रुजति (rujati, to break open, shatter, injure, cause pain), Latvian lauzt (to break, fracture).[1]

Cognate with Middle Dutch lake, leke (modern Dutch laak).

Noun

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lǣċe m

  1. leech
Declension
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Descendants
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References

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  1. ^ van der Sijs, Nicoline, editor (2010), “laak”, in Etymologiebank, Meertens Institute