* Latin: *lavāre* - "to wash"
From *lavāre* comes the Old French word *laver*, meaning "to wash, to bathe."
* Old French: *laver* - "to wash, to bathe"
The word "lavish" evolved through a few transformations:
1. Middle English: *lavisshen* - meaning "to wash," but also developing a sense of "to wash abundantly" or "to bathe luxuriously."
2. Early Modern English: *lavish* - transitioning from the literal act of washing to a more metaphorical sense of "to bestow generously," "to give in abundance," and ultimately "to expend lavishly."
So, while it initially meant "to wash," "lavish" eventually came to denote the act of giving something in excess, with a sense of luxuriousness and opulence.