limpet

The story

1. Late Latin · derived fromlampetra“lamprey”
2. Medieval Latin · derived fromlampreda
3. Old English · inherited fromlempedu“lamprey”
4. Middle English · inherited fromlempet
5. English todaylimpet

From Middle English lempet, from Old English lempedu (“lamprey”), borrowed from Medieval Latin lampreda, alteration of Late Latin lampetra (“lamprey”), whose further origin is unknown, though is traditionally thought to derive from lambō (“to lick, lap”) + petra (“stone, rock”). Doublet of lamprey, which came through Old French.

Words from the same roots