Etymology

From Middle English likam, licam, licame, lichame, from Old English līcema, līchama ‎(“body, corpse; trunk”), from Proto-Germanic *līkahamô ‎(“body, bodily frame, corpse”), equivalent to like ‎(“body, lich”) +‎ hame ‎(“covering, case”). Cognate with Scots lekame ‎(“body”), West Frisian lichem ‎(“body”), Dutch lichaam ‎(“body”), German Leichnam ‎(“body, corpse”), Danish legeme ‎(“body”), Swedish lekamen ‎(“body”), Icelandic líkami ‎(“body”).