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

These wild chickens are figuratively as well as literally colorful: When the males decide to court females, they gather in an area of either bare ground or short foliage called a "booming groundor lek."

From Salon

If current trends continue, there’s only a 50% chance most of their remaining breeding grounds known as “leks” will still be productive in 60 years, it said.

From Washington Times

But managers already know that half of the sage grouse leks, or breeding areas, in the heart of the state’s endangered population in Douglas County have burned.

From Seattle Times

The chosen plan, for example, results in 25% fewer sage grouse leks within the fuel breaks.

From Washington Times

Some leks in Wyoming draw hundreds of birds.

From Washington Post