English

lickpenny

From lick + penny.

A compound of lick + penny

Proto-Indo-European *leyǵʰ- ‘to lick’

Proto-Germanic *likkōną ‘to lick’

Proto-West Germanic *likkōn ‘to lick’

Old English liccian ‘to lick’

Middle English likken ‘to lick’

English lick

Middle English peny ‘a penny or other silver coin’

English penny

Today it means

noun Something that devours or absorbs lots of money; something expensive.

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

Etymograph / lickpenny