Life
/laɪf/noun
The condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including growth, reproduction, and response to stimuli.
Did you know?The Old English word for life, 'līf,' is linked to the idea of living beings as 'animated' or 'alive' in a world filled with spiritual significance.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*leip-
“to remain, to be left, to be alive.”
Ancient Germanic
Old Norse
līf
“life, existence, or living being.”
Old English
Old English
līf
“the state of being alive, existence.”
Middle English
Middle English
lyf
“the quality that distinguishes a living organism from a dead one.”
Modern English
English
life
“the condition of being alive, encompassing physical and spiritual existence.”