The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins. 2013.
Leper — Lep er (l[e^]p [ e]r), n. [OE. lepre leprosy, F. l[ e]pre, L. leprae, lepra, fr. Gr. le pra, fr. lepro s scaly, fr. le pos scale, le pein to peel.] A person affected with leprosy. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
leper — one afflicted with leprosy, late 14c., from L.L. lepra, from Gk. lepra leprosy, from fem. of lepros (adj.) scaly, from leops a scale, related to lepein to peel, from lopos a peel, from PIE root *lep to peel, scale (see LEAF … Etymology dictionary
leper — ► NOUN 1) a person suffering from leprosy. 2) a person who is shunned by others. ORIGIN Old French lepre, from Greek lepros scaly … English terms dictionary
leper — [lep′ər] n. [ME lepre, leprosy < OFr < LL lepra (L leprae, pl.) < Gr < lepros, rough, scaly < lepein, to peel < IE base * lep , to peel off, scale > OE læfer, rush, reed] 1. a person having leprosy 2. a person to be shunned… … English World dictionary
leper — [[t]le̱pə(r)[/t]] lepers 1) N COUNT A leper is a person who has leprosy. 2) N COUNT If you refer to someone as a leper, you mean that people in their community avoid them because they have done something that has shocked or offended people. The… … English dictionary
leper — lep|er [ˈlepə US ər] n [Date: 1300 1400; Origin: leper leprosy (13 16 centuries), from Old French, from Late Latin lepra, from Greek, from lepein to remove skin ] 1.) someone who has leprosy 2.) someone that people avoid because they have done… … Dictionary of contemporary English
leper — UK [ˈlepə(r)] / US [ˈlepər] noun [countable] Word forms leper : singular leper plural lepers 1) someone who has leprosy 2) someone who people refuse to talk to or work with because they do not like them … English dictionary
leper — noun 1》 a person suffering from leprosy. 2》 a person who is shunned by others. Origin ME: prob. from an attributive use of leper leprosy , from OFr. lepre, via L. from Gk lepra, feminine of lepros scaly … English new terms dictionary
leper — noun (C) 1 someone who suffers from the disease of leprosy 2 someone that people avoid because they have done something that people disapprove of: They treated me as if I was some kind of leper … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
leper — /ˈlɛpə / (say lepuh) noun 1. a person affected with leprosy. 2. a person ostracised by society: *Susie the leper, the outcast, the untouchable, was literally crawling. –sutton woodfield, 1960. {Middle English lepre, from Old French: leprosy, from …
