古英語 liccian “舔過表面，舔起來”，源自原始日耳曼語 *likkon（也包括古撒克遜語 likkon，荷蘭語 likken，古高地德語 lecchon，德語 lecken，哥特語 bi-laigon），源自 PIE 詞根 *leigh- “舔”。
據說法語 lécher，意大利語 leccare 是日耳曼語藉詞。比喻性的 lick (one's) lips 表示渴望，始於大約1500年。Lick-ladle（1849）是指（人類）寄生蟲的古老短語。將某人或某物 lick (someone or something) into shape（1610年代）是指熊的假定方式：
Beres ben brought forthe al fowle and transformyd and after that by lyckyng of the fader and the moder they ben brought in to theyr kyndely shap. ["The Pylgremage of the Sowle," 1413]
“Beres ben brought forthe al fowle and transformyd and after that by lyckyng of the fader and the moder they ben brought in to theyr kyndely shap. [“The Pylgremage of the Sowle,” 1413]
