lickerous

lickerous

English

Etymology

From Middle English likerous, lykerous, likrus, from Anglo-Norman *likerous, *lekerous (“dainty”), apparently an unassibilated variant (compare lekeor, leckeur variants of lecheor, lichieor (“glutton, lecher”)) of Old French *lecherous ("dainty, wanton"; > English lecherous); see lecherous.

Adjective

lickerous (comparative more lickerous, superlative most lickerous)

1. (archaic) lickerish; lecherous; eager; lustful.
   • 1973, Arthur F. Kinney, Rogues, Vagabonds, & Sturdy Beggars:

     [...] and taking leave of each other with a courteous kiss, she pleasantly passed forth on her journey and this untoward lickerous chamberlain repaired homeward.

   • 1992, Tony Hillerman, The Best of the West:

     Next up the valley beyond him lived Phineas Cowan, whose inclinations, in spite of his advanced age, were lustful and lickerous.

   • 1992, C. S. Lewis, Michael Hague, The Pilgrim's Regress:

     The broad-faced, sluttish helot, the slave wife Grubby and warm, who opens unashamed Her thousand wombs unguarded to the lickerous sun.

   • 2011, Laura Kinsale, For My Lady's Heart:

     "My lady, thou art lickerous." He smiled, pressing the heel of his hand against her.

Alternative forms

• liquorous (erroneously simulating liquor)
• lickorous, licorous, likresse

Derived terms

• lickerously
• lickerousness

See also

• lickerish

Part or all of this entry has been imported from the 1913 edition of Webster’s Dictionary, which is now free of copyright and hence in the public domain. The imported definitions may be significantly out of date, and any more recent senses may be completely missing.
(See the entry for lickerous in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913)