An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Wetterleuchten

by Friedrich Kluge

Wetterleuchten, n., ‘sheet lighting,’ corrupted from late MidHG. (so even now in ModHG. dials.) wëterleich (comp. Norw. vederleik), ‘lightning’; comp. MidHG. leichen, ‘to dance, skip’ (see Leich).