English
lifely
Lifely comes from Old English līflīċ ‘living’, from līf ‘life’, and ultimately from Proto-Germanic *lībą ‘body’.
- 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. 450–1150līflīċ‘living’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500lifly
- Englishearliest quotation 1836lifely
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
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. 450–1150līflīċ‘living’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500lifly
- Englishearliest quotation 1836lifely
Earliest quotation: 1836, Elizabeth Palmer Peabody: “But since there is no other universal language of…”
Formed from life + -ly
Proto-Germanic *lībą ‘life’
Proto-West Germanic *līb ‘body’
Old English līf
Middle English lyf
English life
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *leyp- ‘to stick’
live, living, lib, eleventh, lipid, lipa, 15 more
through Proto-Germanic *lībaną ‘to remain’
leave, twelve, eleven, lave, 9 more
through Proto-West Germanic *līb ‘body’
through Old English līf ‘life’
through Old English līflīċ ‘living’
Today it means
adj Of, pertaining to, or endued with life; living; vital; essential.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Germanic *lībą / lifely