lust
/lʌst/
noun
Origin
Proto-Germanic
*lustuz — pleasure, desire
Overview
Meaning Now
- Intense or unrestrained sexual desire.
- A passionate or overmastering desire or craving for something.
Literal older meaning
pleasure, delight
Language path
Proto-Indo-European → Proto-Germanic → Old English → English
Earliest form
lust
Earliest period
Old English period
Journey
The word originally held a neutral or even positive connotation of 'pleasure' or 'delight' in Old and Middle English, similar to the modern German word 'Lust'. Over time, its usage became increasingly restricted to negative or intense forms of desire, specifically sexual desire.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
*lustuz
“pleasure, desire”
- Old English
lust
“pleasure, desire, inclination”
- Middle English
lust
“pleasure, sensual appetite”
narrowing of sense toward sexual desire began
- Modern English
lust
“intense sexual desire or craving”
Connections
Word parts
lust
root
pleasure, desire
Explore next
Related to lust
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.