English
alive
Alive comes from Old English on līfe ‘in life’, from on + līfe, the dative of līf ‘life’.
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*lībą‘body’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*līb‘body’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150līf‘life’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150on līfeliterally ‘in life" or "in (the) body’dative singular of līf
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500alyve‘alive’
- Englishearliest quotation 1611alive
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*lībą‘body’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*līb‘body’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150līf‘life’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150on līfeliterally ‘in life" or "in (the) body’dative singular of līf
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500alyve‘alive’
- Englishearliest quotation 1611alive
Earliest quotation: 1611, The Holy Bible, London: […] Robert Barker: “I am hee that liueth, and was dead :…”
The story
In this sense, replaced Old English cwic (whence English quick).
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *leyp- ‘to stick’
living, lib, liver, eleventh, lipid, lipa, liven, 13 more
through Proto-Germanic *lībaną ‘to remain’
leave, twelve, eleven, lave, 8 more
through Proto-West Germanic *līb ‘body’
through Old English līf ‘life’
Today it means
adj Having life; living; not dead.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Germanic *lībą / alive