lek

¹

[ lek ]

noun

1. a traditional place where males assemble during the mating season and engage in competitive displays that attract females.

verb (used without object)

, lekked, lek·king.

1. (of a male) to assemble in a lek and engage in competitive displays.

lek

²

[ lek ]

noun

1. an aluminum coin and monetary unit of Albania, equal to 100 qintars.

Lek

³

[ lek ]

noun

1. a river in the central Netherlands, flowing W to the Meuse River; the N branch of the lower Rhine. 40 miles (64 km) long.

lek

¹

/ lɛk /

noun

1. a small area in which birds of certain species, notably the black grouse, gather for sexual display and courtship
2. the act or practice of so gathering

lek

²

/ lɛk /

noun

1. the standard monetary unit of Albania, divided into 100 qindarka

Word History and Origins

Origin of lek¹

1865–70; < Swedish: mating ground (perhaps elliptically from lekställe ), mating, game, play, Old Norse leikr play, cognate with Old English lāc struggle, offering, gift, Gothic laiks dance, Old High German leih melody

Origin of lek²

Borrowed into English from Albanian around 1925–30

Word History and Origins

Origin of lek¹

C19: perhaps from dialect lake (vb) from Old English lácan to frolic, fight, or perhaps from Swedish leka to play

Origin of lek²

from Albanian

Example Sentences

Nicholson is a great storyteller, even in Twi’lek head-tails and a Rodian beanie.

From New York Times

He finds a lek — an annual sage grouse mating spot — and trains his scope on the shimmying male birds, famous for their unique mating ritual that involves inflating balloon-like air sacs on their chest and thrusting them out to impress the hens.

From Seattle Times

On April 23, Vold took the Statesman to an Owyhees lek before dawn.

From Seattle Times

There, Vold counted 22 birds — a record for that lek and an exciting sight for someone who knows the bird’s numbers have declined by 80% since 1965.

From Seattle Times

In her first solo museum show, Long Beach-based artist Tidawhitney Lek paints a tender portrait of her city: moments of picnicking on the grass, celebrating a birthday, walking past dandelions on the sidewalk.

From Los Angeles Times