Etymology: < Anglo-Norman lessoun, leszun, Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French leçon, Anglo-Norman and Middle French lesson, leccion (French leçon ) the activity of reading a text, text to be read aloud (especially during a religious service), lecture (for the purpose of instruction), recital of a poetic text (all 12th cent.), instruction, that which is taught, instructive example (all 13th cent. or earlier) < classical Latin lectiōn- , lectiō activity of reading, reading matter, passage in a book, text, in post-classical Latin also passage of Scripture (late 2nd cent. in Tertullian), office of reading scripture in church (3rd cent.), reading of a text found in a particular copy or edition (4th cent.), interpretation of a text (6th cent.), skill of reading, knowledge of a written language (8th cent.), teaching, instruction (9th cent.), sacred reading at monastic meals (9th cent.; from 11th cent. in British sources), public reading, university lecture (from late 12th cent. in British sources; from early 13th cent. in continental sources), lectureship (from 15th cent. in British sources): see lection n.Compare Old Occitan leison (13th cent.), Catalan lliçó (14th cent.), Spanish lección (13th cent. as lición), Portuguese lição (14th cent. as liçõ), Italian lezione (14th cent.).

Etymology: < lesson n.