English
leper
Leper comes from Ancient Greek λέπρα ‘psoriasis & similar skin disorders’, and goes back to λεπίς ‘scale’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEλεπίς‘scale’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEλέπραlépra‘psoriasis & similar skin disorders’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEleprae
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500lepre
- Englishtodayleper
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEλεπίς‘scale’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEλέπραlépra‘psoriasis & similar skin disorders’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEleprae
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500lepre
- Englishtodayleper
Linked words
through Ancient Greek λέπω ‘to peel’
Today it means
noun A person who has leprosy, a person suffering from Hansen's disease.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek λεπίς / leper