lynx

Where does the word "lynx" come from? It comes from Greek lynx, passing through Latin before entering English (1400s).

Lynx’s story begins in Greek: lynx meant “the wildcat with gleaming eyes.” Possibly related to leukos (bright), describing the animal's gleaming eyes. By ancient, the word had taken hold in Latin as lynx. Carried into Latin for the same wildcat. It reached English by 1400s as lynx. Settled as the English word for the tufted-ear wildcat. Today, lynx means a wildcat with tufted ears and a short tail, found across the northern hemisphere.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient lynx "the wildcat with gleaming eyes", possibly related to leukos (bright), describing the animal's gleaming eyes.
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient lynx "wildcat", carried into Latin for the same wildcat.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1400s lynx "a tufted-ear wildcat", settled as the English word for the tufted-ear wildcat.