Where does “love” come from?
love (Middle Dutch) comes from Middle Dutch lof, from Old Dutch lōf, from Proto-West Germanic laub, from Proto-Germanic laubą, from Proto-Indo-European lewp-, from Proto-Indo-European lew- — dirt, mud; to cut, remove, prune, separate; to...
love (Middle Dutch): dative singular of lof
Ancestry of “love”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle Dutch | lof | praise; prestige |
| 2 | Old Dutch | lōf | — |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | laub | leaf; foliage |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | laubą | leaf |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | lewp- | peel, break off; to flake off, peel, damage; to... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | lew- | dirt, mud; to cut, remove, prune, separate; to... |