Where does “lovesickness” come from?

lovesickness (English) comes from English lovesick, from English sick, from English sic, from English seek, from Middle English seke, from Old English sēċan, from Proto-West Germanic sōkijan, from Proto-Germanic sōkijaną — to seek out.

lovesickness (English): Quality or property of being lovesick

Definitions

  1. Quality or property of being lovesick

Ancestry of “lovesickness”, step by step

lovesickness traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English lovesick

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlovesickBehaving oddly, or as though in distress, due to...
2EnglishsickIn poor health; ill; Having an urge to vomit;...
3EnglishsicThus; thus written; To mark with a bracketed sic;...
4EnglishseekTo try to find; to look for; to search for; To...
5Middle EnglishsekeAlternative form of seken
6Old Englishsēċanto seek or inquire about
7Proto-West Germanicsōkijanto seek, to look for
8Proto-Germanicsōkijanąto seek, look for
9Proto-Indo-Europeanséh₂gyetito give a sign
10Proto-Indo-Europeanseh₂g-to seek out

via English Ness

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishNessAn Ulster princess and the mother of Conchobar mac Nessa and Findchoem in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Daughter of Eochaid Sálbuide. Also the mother of Cormac Cond Longas by incest with Conchobar mac Nessa
2Middle Englishnesse
3Old Englishnæsnot, not at all; not; first/third-person singular...
4Proto-Germanicnasjąfoothill; headland; cape
5Proto-Indo-Europeannéh₂snose
Every word from Proto-Indo-European seh₂g-
lovesickness — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer