lode
UK[ləʊd]US[loʊd]
n
A vein of metal ore in the earth.
n
A rich source or supply of something.
Etymology
The word 'lode' originates from the Old English 'lād', meaning 'a way, a course, a carrying'. This term is related to the verb 'to lead', sharing a common Proto-Germanic root. In Middle English, its meaning specialized to refer to the course of a stream of water, which was a common guide for prospectors. By the 17th century, this association was transferred to the vein of ore that the water might help reveal, solidifying its modern geological and figurative meanings.
Analysis
The word 'lode' is a simplex word of Old English origin. It functions as a complete lexical unit.
Examples
Miners discovered a rich lode of silver in the mountain.
The old library proved to be a lode of historical information.
The primary lode was exhausted after decades of extraction.