English

Liebestod

Liebestod comes from German Liebestod.

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

Earliest quotation: 1979, Angela Carter, The Company of Wolves: “She saw how his jaw began to slaver and…”

A compound of Liebe ‘love’ + Tod ‘death’

Proto-Indo-European *lewbʰ- ‘to desire, love’

Proto-Indo-European *lewbʰós ‘beloved’

Proto-Germanic *leubaz ‘dear, beloved’

Proto-West Germanic *leub ‘dear, beloved’

Proto-West Germanic *leubōn ‘to love’

Proto-West Germanic *leubu ‘love’

Old High German liob

Middle High German liebe ‘joy, affection, kindliness’

German Liebe ‘love’

Proto-Indo-European *dʰówtus

Proto-Germanic *dauþuz ‘death’

Proto-West Germanic *dauþu ‘death’

Old High German tōd ‘death, cessation of life’

Middle High German tōt

German Tod ‘death’

Every English word from German Liebestod

noun An aria or duet performed in opera marking the suicide of lovers; a suicide.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.