An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/leuchten

by Friedrich Kluge

leuchten, verb, from the equivalent Middle High German and Old High German liuhten, ‘to shine, give light,’ corresponding to Gothic liuhtjan, ‘to shine, give light’; an Old Teutonic denominative from the adjective liuhta-, ‘light’; leuchten meant literally ‘to be light, bright.’ Compare licht.