Where does “lifeblood” come from?
Lifeblood comes from English life and blood, where life derives from Middle English lif, Old English blōd, Proto-Germanic lībą, and Proto-Indo-European bʰleh₃-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰel-.
lifeblood (English): Blood that is needed for continued life; blood...
Definitions
- Blood that is needed for continued life; blood...
Ancestry of “lifeblood”, step by step
lifeblood traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English life
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | life | The state of organisms preceding their death,... |
| 2 | Middle English | lyf | life |
| 3 | Old English | līf | life, existence; life-time |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | līb | body; life |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | lībą | body; life |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | lībaną | to remain, to be left |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | leyp- | to stick; fat or sticky substance |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | lēy- | to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave... |
via English Blood
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Blood | A member of the Los Angeles gang The Bloods |
| 2 | Middle English | blood | blood |
| 3 | Old English | blōd | blood |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | blōd | blood |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | blōþą | blood |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰleh₃- | bloom, flower |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰel- | to sound; to speak, roar, bark; shiny, white; to... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰōl- | — |