beloved
/bɪˈlʌvd/
adjective
Origin
Old English
be- + lufian — by + to love
Overview
Meaning Now
- Dearly loved; cherished or held in great affection.
- A person who is dearly loved by another.
Literal older meaning
thoroughly loved
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Old English → Middle English → English
Earliest form
beloved
Earliest period
12th century
Journey
The term is a compound of the prefix 'be-' (used here to form transitive verbs or denote intensity) and the Old English verb 'lufian'. It has historically carried a sense of deep spiritual or personal connection, frequently appearing in religious texts to denote a person or object held in divine or communal esteem.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
*lubōną
“to love, praise”
Reconstructed root
- Old English
lufian
“to love”
- Middle English
beloved
“dearly loved”
Addition of be- prefix indicating intensity
- Modern English
beloved
“cherished”
Standardized spelling and usage
Connections
Word parts
be-
prefix
intensive or transitive marker
lov
root
affection
-ed
suffix
past participle marker used as adjective
Related across languages
German
geliebt
loved
Dutch
geliefd
beloved
Related words
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Related to beloved
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.