Leach
/liːtʃ/noun
To dissolve and wash out soluble material from a substance by passing a liquid through it; also, to drain away gradually.
Did you know?The verb is tied to an old Germanic root meaning “to wash,” and its history is all about extraction: liquids pulling hidden material out of earth, ash, and soil.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*leu-
“to wash, clean”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*laukaną / *laujaną
“to wash or bathe”
Old English
OE
lēċan
“to moisten, wet, or steep”
Middle English
ME
lechen
“to steep or soak so that soluble matter is drawn out”
Modern English
English
leach
“to dissolve and carry off by percolating liquid”