Where does “love child” come from?

love child (English) comes from English Child, from Middle English childen, from Middle English -en, from Old English -en, from Old Norse -inn, from Proto-Norse -īna-, from Proto-Germanic -īnaz, from Proto-Indo-European -iHnos — adjectival suffix.

love child (English): A child born as a result of a romantic liaison between parents not married to one another; an illegitimate child

Definitions

  1. A child born as a result of a romantic liaison between parents not married to one another; an illegitimate child

Ancestry of “love child”, step by step

love child traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Child

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishChildAlternative letter-case form of child "often used...
2Middle EnglishchildenTo deliver a child; to beget or procreate; To...
3Middle English-enDenotes the past participle form when attached to...
4Old English-enmæġþ + API → mæġden; cocc + API → cycen, cicen;...
5Old Norse-innUsed to create adjectives from nouns, meaning...
6Proto-Norse-īna-
7Proto-Germanic-īnaz-en
8Proto-Indo-European-iHnosCreates adjectives of materials
9Proto-Indo-European-no-adjectival suffix

via English Love

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishLoveradiotelephony clear-code word for the letter L
2Middle Englishlovelove; strong and deep affection
3Old Englishlufulove
4Proto-West Germanic*lubulove
5Proto-Germaniclubōlove, affection
6Proto-Indo-Europeanlewbʰ-to desire, covet, want; to admire, praise; to...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanlēw-to sound, resound, sing out; to leave
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -no-Every word from Middle English -enEvery word from Proto-Germanic -īnaz