English
loach
Loach may come from Middle English loche.
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500locheuncertain
- Englishtodayloach
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500locheuncertain
- Englishtodayloach
The story
From Middle English loche, from Old French loche, further origin uncertain, possibly from Vulgar Latin *laukka (‘loach’), which could be from Gaulish *leuca (‘loach, slug’), also attested as the feminine name Leuca, from leux (‘bright, light’), a reference to slugs' bright appearance, the fish later being associated due to similarities to the slug.uncertain The source flags this step as uncertain.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *lewk- ‘bright’
light, link, low, los, ounce, lunar, luna, lea, illumination, illuminate, lucid, luminous, translucent, lumen, lynx, luminosity, lumia, lucerne, lum, lucent, lune, leucine, luminescent, luminary, luminal, 73 more
through Proto-Indo-European *léwks ‘something bright, white’
Today it means
noun Any true loach, of the family Cobitidae.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Middle English loche / loach