Leash
/liːʃ/noun
A cord or strap used to control or restrain an animal, especially a dog.
Did you know?Leash comes from a medieval French word for a hunting loop, and its deeper history is tied to the same Latin root behind “lace,” “lace up,” and even the act of binding something in place.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*leig-
“to bind, tie”
Latin
Latin
ligare
“to bind, fasten”
Late Latin
Latin
laqueus
“noose, snare, loop”
Old French
Old French
lais
“a thong, cord, or snare”
Middle English
English
lesche
“a thong or strap for leading a dog or hawk”
Modern English
English
leash
“a strap or cord used to restrain an animal”