pleckn.

Etymology: Immediate origin uncertain. Perhaps the reflex of an unattested Old English *plecce , and hence cognate with Middle Dutch plecke , plec place, plot, spot, stain, blemish (Dutch plek ), Middle Low German plecke , plechke piece of ground, place (German regional (Low German) Plek , Pleck place, spot, also stain), apparently < a variant (with i-mutation) of the same base as Middle Dutch placke , plac stain, spot (Dutch plak patch, rag, stain, spot, also place), Middle Low German placke , plak stain, small piece, rag, plot, village (German regional (Low German) Plak , Plakke , Placke , Placken ; perhaps > Middle High German placke patch; German regional (chiefly northern) Placken ); further etymology uncertain and disputed: perhaps related to Middle Dutch plagghe rag (Dutch plag ), Middle Low German plagge turf, rag (German regional (Low German) Plagge ), Old Icelandic plagg luggage, Old Swedish plag piece of clothing (Swedish plagg ). Compare post-classical Latin pleca plot of land (1280 in a British source), though this may represent a variant of placea (see place n.¹); it is perhaps conceivable that this might also be the origin of the word in English and in the other Germanic languages, but if so the semantic development would be surprising.It is not entirely certain that Middle English plecche (see α. forms) represents the same word. Perhaps compare the surnames Plecheden (1272), Plicheden (1251), Plycheden (1238), and also Will. ater Pluche (1296). For further discussion and a suggested explanation see M. T. Löfvenberg Studies Middle Eng. Local Surnames (1942) II. 154. Attested earlier as a place-name element in the following field names: Whytebarn pleck (1200; in Sulgrave, Northamptonshire), Medweplek (1250), Smetheplec (1281), Fernyplek (a1300), le Halleplec (1332), all in Warwickshire. Not connected with Old English (Northumbrian) plæce , plætse place n.¹ (compare quot. a1576 at sense 3).