lecherous

the word 'lecherous' originates from the middle english term 'lechour', which was borrowed from old french 'lecheor', meaning 'a glutton'. this old french term is derived from the verb 'lecher', 'to lick', a word of germanic origin. the core semantic link is the metaphorical extension from the physical act of 'licking' (associated with gluttony) to an insatiable, lustful appetite. the suffix '-ous', of latin origin, was added to form the adjective, characterizing someone as being full of or prone to such excessive desire.

Structure: lecher (lecher) + ous (adjective suffix) lecher (from middle english 'lechour', from old french 'lecheor', meaning 'glutton, lecher', ultimately of germanic origin, likely from a root meaning 'to lick'); ous (a suffix forming adjectives from nouns, from latin '-osus', meaning 'full of, prone to').