WordGarden.iolek
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /lˈɛk/
US
- /ˈlɛk/
Meanings
Noun
a place or gathering where animals display for mates
the basic monetary unit of Albania
Verb
to gather at a lek and perform courtship displays
Beyond the definition
The lek is the official currency of Albania. You might use it to buy a warm piece of byrek in a busy street in Tirana. But in biology, the word has a very different meaning. It can mean a place where male animals, especially some birds, gather and put on displays to attract females. So the word may appear in a travel story about money or in a nature story about mating behavior.
The word lek has two main meanings in English. Most often, it is the official currency of Albania, first introduced in 1926. The name comes from Alexander the Great, who is known in Albanian as Leka i Madh. If you travel through Albania, you will use lek or leks in English to pay for food, transport, and daily shopping. Its value changes against currencies such as the euro or the dollar, but it remains a clear symbol of Albanian national identity.
Beyond money, lek is also an important biology term. In this sense, it means a place where males of certain animal species gather to compete for female attention. They may dance, call, puff up feathers, or show other features while females watch and choose. You will often see this use in discussions of birds, though it can apply to some other animals too. The related verb lek and the noun lekking are used for this kind of mating display behavior. This meaning comes from a Swedish word connected with play.
These two meanings are completely separate, and context usually makes the difference clear. In one case, the word belongs to travel, prices, and Albanian life. In the other, it belongs to animal behavior and mating displays in the wild. Knowing both uses helps you understand the word when it appears in very different kinds of writing.
Examples
- 1
Bird display site
In spring, the male grouse return to the same lek before sunrise.
- 2
Research observation
Researchers counted twelve males on the lek and watched which ones attracted females.
- 3
Traditional site
Some species use a traditional lek year after year, even after older males disappear.
- 4
Verb use
A few mammals also lek, but the behavior is best known in birds.
See also
Similar
- display ground
- courtship arena
Shades of meaning
- breeding ground
- display site
Contrast
- nesting site
Do not confuse
- Albanian lek
Used with (collocations)
- lek mating
- lek site
- attend a lek
Word family
- lekking
Explore
- courtship display
- sexual selection
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- leknoun