Where does “liven” come from?
liven (Middle English) comes from Old English libban, from Proto-West Germanic libbjan, from Proto-Germanic libjaną, from Proto-Indo-European leyp-, from Proto-Indo-European lēy- — to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave...
liven (Middle English): To live
Definitions
- To live
Ancestry of “liven”, step by step
liven traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old English libban
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | libban | to live |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | libbjan | to live, to be alive |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | libjaną | to live, to be alive |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | leyp- | to stick; fat or sticky substance |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | lēy- | to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave... |
via Old English lifian
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | lifian | Alternative form of libban |