lamprey

The story

1. Late Latin · derived fromlampetra“lamprey”
2. Medieval Latin · derived fromlampreda
3. Old French · derived fromlampreie
4. Middle English · inherited fromlaumprei
5. English todaylamprey

From Middle English laumprei, from Old French lampreie (modern French lamproie), from Medieval Latin lampreda, possibly alteration of Late Latin lampetra (“lamprey”), whose further origin is unknown, though it is traditionally thought to be a combination of lambō (“to lick, lap”) + petra (“stone, rock”). Doublet of limpet, which derives from Latin.

Words from the same roots