How the word for Love has changed

The origin and history of some of the European / Indo-European words for love

B ← A indicates that the word in language B has evolved directly
from a word in language A, or at least a very similar language. For
example, Persian did not evolve directly from Avestan, but the Old
Persian texts lack the more extensive vocabulary of the similar
Avestan language. Alternatively, the word could be borrowed
from another language. English is full of words borrowed from
Old French.

Abbreviations at bottom of page
* = hypothetical, reconstructed

GERMANIC
WEST GERMANIC

English

love (1,2,3,4) ← M.Eng. love (1,2,3,4), charite (3) ← O.Eng. lufu (2,3,4), freod (1) ← Pr.W.Gmc. *luƀu ← Pr.Gmc. *luƀō ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

Ancient Greek had words for 4 different types of love, while English and many other languages use one word for all 4 of them. The aspects of love defined by the Greeks were:
1. kind, encouraging, deep friendship, caring, fond, understanding (Greek philia )
2. romantic, physical, sexual, passionate (Greek erōs )
3. for others, for God, Christian love, for nature, unselfish, committed, empathetic (Greek agapē)
4. for family, for nation, protective, unconditional (Greek storgē)

Many relationships can include most, or all, of these at the same time.

The Bible’s definition of love is:

4. Love is patient, love is kind; it is not jealous, or boastful, or conceited.
5. Love does not behave shamefully. It is not selfish and does not take offence. Love does not keep a record of wrongs.
6. Love takes no pleasure in wrongdoing, but delights in the truth.
7. Love bears all things, it trusts, it hopes and endures whatever comes.
8. Love does not come to an end.

1 Corinthians,13, 4-8

Scots

luve ← M.Sc. luve ← O.Nth. lufu ← Pr.W.Gmc. *luƀu ← Pr.Gmc. *luƀō ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

Frisian
   North Frisian
      (Island)

Lefhair ← O.Fris. liâfte ← Pr.W.Gmc. *liuƀiþu, *luƀu ← Pr.Gmc. *luƀō ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

   North Frisian
      (Mainland)

liiwde ← O.Fris. liâfte ← Pr.W.Gmc. *liuƀiþu, *luƀu ← Pr.Gmc. *luƀō ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

   East Frisian

Ljoowe ← O.Fri. liâve ← Pr.W.Gmc. *luƀu ← Pr.Gmc. *luƀō ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

   West Frisian

leafde ← O.Fris. liâfte ← Pr.W.Gmc. *liuƀiþu, *luƀu ← Pr.Gmc. *luƀō ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

Dutch

liefde ← M.Du. liefde, lieve ← Pr.W.Gmc. *liuƀiþu, *luƀu ← Pr.Gmc. *luƀō ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

Afrikaans

liefde ← Dutch liefde ← M.Du. liefde, lieve ← Pr.W.Gmc. *liuƀiþu, *luƀu ← Pr.Gmc. *luƀō ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

Plattdeutsch

Leevd ← M.L.G. lêvede ← Pr.W.Gmc. *liuƀiþu, *luƀu ← Pr.Gmc. *luƀō ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

East Friesland Platt

Leevde ← M.L.G. lêvede ← Pr.W.Gmc. *liuƀiþu, *luƀu ← Pr.Gmc. *luƀō ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

Kölsch (Cologne)

Leevde ← M.L.G. lêvede ← Pr.W.Gmc. *liuƀiþu, *luƀu ← Pr.Gmc. *luƀō ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

Luxemburgish

Léift ← M.H.G. liebede, liebe ← O.H.G. liubî (1,3,4), minna (2) ← Pr.W.Gmc. *liuƀu ← Pr.Gmc. *leuƀō ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

Moselle Platt Lorraine

Léiw ← M.H.G. liebe ← O.H.G. liubî (1,3,4), minna (2) ← Pr.W.Gmc. *liuƀu ← Pr.Gmc. *leuƀō ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

Rhine Platt Lorraine

Lieb ← M.H.G. liebe ← O.H.G. liubî (1,3,4), minna (2) ← Pr.W.Gmc. *liuƀu ← Pr.Gmc. *leuƀō ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

German

Liebe ← M.H.G. liebe ← O.H.G. liubî (1,3,4), minna (2) ← Pr.W.Gmc. *liuƀu ← Pr.Gmc. *leuƀō ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

Yiddish

libe ← M.H.G. liebe ← O.H.G. liubî (1,3,4), minna (2) ← Pr.W.Gmc. *liuƀu ← Pr.Gmc. *leuƀō ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

Alsace German

Lieb ← M.H.G. liebe ← O.H.G. liubî (1,3,4), minna (2) ← Pr.W.Gmc. *liuƀu ← Pr.Gmc. *leuƀō ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

Swiss German

Liebi ← M.H.G. liebe ← O.H.G. liubî (1,3,4), minna (2) ← Pr.W.Gmc. *liuƀu ← Pr.Gmc. *leuƀō ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

Swabian

Lieb ← M.H.G. liebe ← O.H.G. liubî (1,3,4), minna (2) ← Pr.W.Gmc. *liuƀu ← Pr.Gmc. *leuƀō ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

Bavarian

Liab ← M.H.G. liebe ← O.H.G. liubî (1,3,4), minna (2) ← Pr.W.Gmc. *liuƀu ← Pr.Gmc. *leuƀō ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

NORTH GERMANIC

Icelandic

ást ← O.N. ást, kærleikr

Faroese

kærleiki ← O.N. kærleikr

Norwegian (Nynorsk)

kjærleik ← O.N. kærleikr

Norwegian

kjærlighet ← Rec.Dan. Kærlighed ← O.N. kærleikr

Danish

kærlighed ← Rec.Dan. Kærlighed ← O.N. kærleikr

Swedish

kärlek ← O.Sw. kærleker ← O.N. kærleikr

EAST GERMANIC

Gothic (extinct)

frijaþwa, lubō ← Pr.Gmc. *luƀō ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

CELTIC
GOIDELIC

Irish

grá ← Rec.Ir. grádh ← O.Ir. grád

Scottish Gaelic

gràdh (1,3,4), gaol (2) ← O.Ir. grád

Manx

graih ← O.Ir. grád

BRITTONIC

Welsh

cariad ← E.Mod.W. cariat ← M.W. caryat

Cornish

kerensa ← K.K. kerensa ← Uni.C. kerensa ← Lt.C. karendzhia, carenja ← M.C. kerense

Breton

karantez ← Rec.Br. karantez ← M.Br. carantez

GAULISH

Gaulish (extinct)

car-

ROMANCE
WEST ROMANCE

Walloon

amour ← O.Fr. amor ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

Picard

   . . . .

Guernsey French

amour ← O.N.F. amur ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

Jersey French

amour ← O.N.F. amur ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

Gallo

amour ← O.Fr. amor ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

French

amour ← O.Fr. amor ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

Haitian Creole

lanmou ← French l’amour, amour ← O.Fr. amor ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

Auvergnat

   . . . .

Gascon

amor ← O.Pr. amor ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

Aranese

amor ← O.Pr. amor ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

Aragonese

amor ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

Asturian

amor ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

Galician

amor ← O.Gal./Port. amor ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

Portuguese

amor ← O.Gal./Port. amor ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

Spanish

amor ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

Valencian

amor ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

Catalan

amor ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

Occitan

amor ← O.Pr. amor ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

Provençal

amour ← O.Pr. amor ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

Francoprovençal

   . . . .

Romansch

amur ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

    Sursilvan Romansch

amur ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

    Sutsilvan Romansch

amur ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

    Surmiran Romansch

amour ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

    Upper Engadine Romansch

amur ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

    Lower Engadine Romansch

amur ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

Ladin

amour ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

Friulan

amôr ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

Monégasque

amù ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

Ligurian

amô ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

Piedmontese

amor ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

Lombard

amór ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

Emilian

amåur ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

Venetian

amore ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

ITALO-ROMANCE

Italian

amore ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

Corsican

amòre ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

Neapolitan

ammóre ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

Sicilian

amuri ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

BALKAN ROMANCE

Romanian

iubire, dragoste ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

SOUTHERN ROMANCE

Sardinian

amore ← Lat. amorem, amor (2,4), caritatem, caritas (1,3)

GREEK

Greek

agápī (1,3), érotas (2), storyī́ (4) ← Anc.Gk. agapē (3), erōs (2), storgē (4), p^hilia (1)

ANATOLIAN

Hittite (extinct)

genzu- (1), assiyatar (2)

ARMENIAN

Western Armenian

ser ← sēr

Eastern Armenian

ser ← sēr

ALBANIAN

Albanian

dashuri

IRANIAN

Persian

eshq ← Av. zaoš

Kurdish

evîn ← Av. zaoš

INDIC
NORTHERN INDIC

Nepali

prem ← Pa. pema ← Skt. preman (4), priya (1), kāma- (2)

WESTERN INDIC

Marathi

prēm ← Pa. pema ← Skt. preman (4), priya (1), kāma- (2)

CENTRAL INDIC

Hindi

pyā ← Skt. priya (1), kāma- (2), preman (4)

Urdu

muhabaṭ, pyā ← Skt. priya (1), kāma- (2), preman (4)

EASTERN INDIC

Bengali

bhalobasha

SOUTHERN INDIC

Sinhalese

ādaraya

SLAVIC
WEST SLAVIC

Kashubian

   . . . .

Polish

miłość ← O.C.S. ljuby ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

Lower Sorbian

lubosć ← O.C.S. ljuby ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

Upper Sorbian

lubosć ← O.C.S. ljuby ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

Czech

láska ← O.C.S. ljuby ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

Slovak

láska ← O.C.S. ljuby ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

SOUTH SLAVIC

Slovene

ljubezen ← O.C.S. ljuby ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

Croatian

ljubav ← O.C.S. ljuby ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

Bosnian

ljubav ← O.C.S. ljuby ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

Serbian

ljubav ← O.C.S. ljuby ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

Macedonian

ljubof ← O.C.S. ljuby ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

Bulgarian

ljubof ← O.C.S. ljuby ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

EAST SLAVIC

Russian

ljubof ← O.C.S. ljuby ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

Belarusian

kachanje ← O.C.S. ljuby ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

Ukrainian

ljubowv ← O.C.S. ljuby ← Lt.I.E. *leubh- ← Pr.I.E. *lewb^h-

BALTIC

Lithuanian

meilė

Latvian

mīlestība

FINNO-UGRIAN

Estonian

armastus

Finnish

rakkaus

Sami

ráhkisvuohta

Erzya

večkema

Komi (Zyrian)

   . . . .

Mansi (Vogul)

   . . . .

Hungarian

szerelem

BASQUE

Basque

maitetasun

SEMITIC

Arabic

maḥabbi

Hebrew

ahavah ← O.T.H. ’ahaḅah

Aramaic

hubba ← N.T.A. ḥūbā’

Babylonian (extinct)

- - - -

TURKIC

Turkish

sevgi

Azerbaijani

məhəbbət

My other websites:
Languages of the World
New Nutshell
Christianity in a Nutshell

My wife's websites:
Meaning of Life
Bits

I’d like to share with you why I think Christianity is such a great religion. A person who lives to 70 has a life of 613,200 hours. Christianity promises that the next life will be in ideal surroundings with friendly, happy people. There will be perfect health and no crime. Of course you’re free to reject the offer of eternal life.

Isn’t it worth, though, spending at least part of one of your 613,200 hours just checking it out. Then if you reject it, at least you’ll have made an informed decision. Is it just possible that your world view could be wrong and Christianity might actually be true? Where would that leave you if you choose to turn down the offer of heaven?

Why Does God Let Bad Things Happen To Good People?
Your Race, Gender And Sexuality Are Irrelevant To God - True or False?
Near Death Experiences
Objections To Christianity
Some Parables and Sayings of Jesus
God Is Uncaring - True or False?
Pain and Injustice In The World
It’s Ok to Blame God For Floods and Famines - True or False?
My Favourite Bible Quotations
The Universe Was Created In Six Days - True or False?
What Makes Christianity Unique Among Religions?
Did God Betray My Trust?
God Allows So Much Suffering In The World - True or False?
The Easy Way To Pray
Who Jesus Is
The Appeal Of Being A Christian
What Faith Is
Does the God of Love Really Send People to Hell?
Did Adam and Eve Really Exist?

Quotations

These are some of my wife's thoughts and ideas:

Believe and Receive
Be Thankful
Change of Heart
Defining Hope
Endless Joy
Fork in the Road
God is not Deaf
Hurting World
Into the Light
Just say Yes
New Life
Put Him First
Ready for Anything
Salvation
Sheep and Lambs
The Best Gift
The Centre
The Gospels
The Reality of Jesus

What's Missing?

Do not steal or cheat or lie.

Leviticus 19,11

ABBREVIATIONS

Anc.Gk. = Ancient Greek (700 B.C. - 450 A.D.)
Av. = Avestan (600 B.C. - 400 B.C.)
E.Mod.W. = Early Modern Welsh (1450 - 1600)
K.K. = Kernewek Kemmyn - "Common Cornish" (1986 - 2008)
Lat. = Latin (75 B.C. - 250 A.D.)
Lt.C. = Late Cornish (1600 - 1891)
Lt.I.E. = Late Indo-European (2,500 B.C. - 2,000 B.C.)
M.Br. = Middle Breton (1100 - 1650)
M.C. = Middle Cornish (1200 - 1600)
M.Du. = Middle Dutch (1150 - 1500)
M.Eng. = Middle English (1150 - 1450)
M.H.G. = Middle High German (1050 - 1350)
M.L.G. = Middle Low German (1200 - 1600)
M.Sc. = Middle Scots (1450 - 1700)
M.W. = Middle Welsh (1200 - 1450)
N.T.A. = New Testament Aramaic (1st century A.D.)
O.Alb. = Old Albanian (1284 - 1908)
O.Arm. = Old Armenian (450 - 1050)
O.Br. = Old Breton (800 - 1100)
O.C. = Old Cornish (850- 1200)
O.C.S. = Old Church Slavonic (850 - 1050)
O.Cat. = Old Catalan (850 - 1550)
O.Dan. = Old Danish (1100 - 1536)
O.Du. = Old Dutch (450 - 1150)
O.Eng. = Old English (650 - 1150)
O.Fr. = Old French (750 - 1350)
O.Fris. = Old Frisian (750 - 1500)
O.Gal./Port. = Old Galician / Old Portuguese (775 - 1050)
O.H.G. = Old High German (400 - 1050)
O.Ir. = Old Irish (550 - 950)
O.It. = Old Italian (1150 - 1350)
O.N. = Old Norse (750 - 1350)
O.N.F. = Old Norman French (1000 - 1450)
O.Nth. = Old Northumbrian (650 - 1000)
O.Pol. = Old Polish (950 - 1550)
O.Pr. = Old Provençal (900 - 1400)
O.Sax. = Old Saxon (750 - 1150)
O.Sp. = Old Spanish (950 - 1400)
O.Sw. = Old Swedish (1225 - 1526)
O.T.H. = Old Testament Hebrew (1200 B.C. - 200 A.D.)
O.W. = Old Welsh (800 - 1200)
Pa. = Pali (50 B.C. - 400 A.D.)
Pr.Alb. = Proto-Albanian
Pr.Arm. = Proto-Armenian (c.1200 B.C.)
Pr.Brit. = Proto-Brittonic (500 B.C. - 550 A.D.)
Pr.Clt. = Proto-Celtic (1300 B.C. - 800 B.C.)
Pr.Fi. = Proto-Finnic (1200 B.C. - 800 A.D.)
Pr.Gmc. = Proto-Germanic (500 B.C. - 150 A.D.)
Pr.I.E. = Proto-Indo-European (4,500 B.C. - 2,500 B.C.)
Pr.It. = Proto-Italic (1,700 B.C. - 700 B.C.)
Pr.Sem. = Proto-Semitic (3,500 B.C.)
Pr.Ug. = Proto-Ugric (2000 B.C. - 1000 B.C.)
Pr.Ur. = Proto-Uralic (pre-2000 B.C.)
Pr.W.Gmc. = Proto-West Germanic (150 A.D. - 400 A.D.)
Rec.Br. = Recent Breton (pre-1941)
Rec.Dan. = Recent Danish (pre-1948)
Rec.Ir. = Recent Irish (pre-1947)
Skt. = Sanskrit (1,500 B.C. - 500 B.C.)
Uni.C. = Unified Cornish (1929 - 2008)
V.Lat. = Vulgar Latin (50 B.C. - 650 A.D.)

* = hypothetical, reconstructed

Back