Meaning
A typically aquatic blood-sucking annelid of the subclass Hirudinea, especially Hirudo medicinalis.
Etymology
Origin: Old English
From Middle English leche (“blood-sucking worm”), from Old English lǣċe (“blood-sucking worm”), akin to Middle Dutch lāke ("blood-sucking worm"; > modern Dutch laak).
Synonyms & Antonyms
NYT Puzzle Appearances
Accepted in 19 recorded puzzles:
- 2026-09-20HACEILT
- 2026-08-09HACELOT
- 2026-07-06CAEHLNV
- 2026-06-22CAEHILM
- 2026-05-01LCKIEDH
- 2025-12-02CLAKEDH
- 2025-01-27HYALCBE
- 2024-12-17LAMECHY
- 2024-12-14HANECLO
- 2024-10-19ECULONH
- 2024-09-16LCIFEHY
- 2024-04-15LANECVH
+7 earlier appearances in the archive.