Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Bliss” come from?

Bliss (English) comes from Middle English bliss, from Old English bliss, from Old English blīds, from Proto-West Germanic blīþisi, from Proto-West Germanic blīþī, from Proto-Germanic blīþiz, from Proto-Indo-European bʰlī-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰleh₁-.

Ancestry of “Bliss”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishbliss—
2Old Englishblissjoy
3Old Englishblīds—
4Proto-West Germanicblīþisihappiness
5Proto-West Germanicblīþīhappy
6Proto-Germanicblīþizserene, mild; pleasant, pleasing, delightful,...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰlī-light, pleasant, fine; light, fine, pleasant
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰleh₁-to bleat; to cry; to blow
9Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰel-to sound; to speak, roar, bark; shiny, white; to...
10Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰōl-—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰōl- →