belief
/bɪˈliːf/
noun
Origin
Old English
belēafa — faith, confidence
Overview
Meaning Now
- An acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists.
- Trust, faith, or confidence in someone or something.
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Old English → Middle English → English
Earliest form
beleave
Earliest period
12th century
Journey
The word is etymologically related to 'love' (Old English 'lufu'), sharing a Proto-Germanic root related to holding something dear. Over time, the meaning shifted from personal trust/love to the intellectual acceptance of a proposition.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
*galaubjan-
“to hold dear, to esteem, to trust”
Base of the belief system
- Old English
belēafa
“trust, confidence, faith”
- Middle English
beleve
“trust, religious faith”
Influenced by the verb 'believe'
- Modern English
belief
“acceptance of truth”
The -f ending stabilized by the 16th century
Connections
Word parts
be-
prefix
intensive or transitive marker
leaf
root
trust, permission, or dear
Related across languages
German
Glaube
belief, faith
Dutch
geloof
belief, faith
Related words
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Related to belief
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.