Etymograph

English

leek

Leek comes from Old English lēac ‘allium’, from Proto-Germanic *leukaną ‘to close, shut’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *lewg- ‘to bend’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*lewg-‘to bend’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*leukaną‘to close, shut’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*laukazreconstructed
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*laukreconstructed
  5. Old Englishc. 450–1150lēac‘allium’
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500leek
  7. Englishtodayleek

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*lewg-‘to bend’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*leukaną‘to close, shut’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*laukazreconstructed
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*laukreconstructed
  5. Old Englishc. 450–1150lēac‘allium’
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500leek
  7. Englishtodayleek

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *lewg- ‘to bend’

lock, reluctant, reluctance, loke, 16 more

Today it means

noun A vegetable of variety Allium ampeloprasum, having edible leaves and an onion-like bulb but with a milder flavour than the onion.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *lewg- / leek

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