любов

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *ľuby. An alternative form of любъ́в (ljubǎ́v), but with a vocalised strong yer. Attested in a Tarnovo recension Middle Bulgarian manuscript from the early 1400s, so either one of the few cases of strong yer vocalisation in Eastern Bulgarian or influenced by Western Bulgarian tradition.

• IPA^(key): [lʲo̟ˈbɔf]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔf

любо́в • (ljubóv) f (relational adjective любо́вен)

1. (uncountable) love, attachment, affection

   Synonym: о́бич (óbič)

2. (countable) love affair, a romance
3. (countable) a love, a darling, a sweetheart (the object of one’s romantic feelings)
4. (uncountable) enthusiasm, fervour, zeal

   Synonyms: охо́та (ohóta), жела́ние (želánie)

• любъв (ljubǎv) — obsolete

• любо́вник m (ljubóvnik), любо́вница f (ljubóvnica)
• любвеоби́лен (ljubveobílen, “loving, amative”)

• лю́бя (ljúbja, “to love”), любу́вам се (ljubúvam se, “to relish, to enjoy”)
• люб (ljub, “amiable, charming”) (obsolete, found in compounds)

• “любов”, in Речник на българския език [Dictionary of the Bulgarian Language] (in Bulgarian), Sofia: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2014
• “любов”, in Речник на българския език [Dictionary of the Bulgarian Language] (in Bulgarian), Chitanka, 2010
• Nayden Gerov (1899) “любо́вь и любъ́вь”, in Рѣчникъ на Блъгарскꙑй язꙑкъ. Съ тлъкувание рѣчи-тꙑ на Блъгарскꙑ и на Русскꙑ. [Dictionary of the Bulgarian language]‎^[1] (in Bulgarian), volume 3, Plovdiv: Дружествена печꙗтница "Съгласие.", page 35
• Georgiev, Vladimir I., editor (1986), “любов”, in Български етимологичен речник [Bulgarian Etymological Dictionary] (in Bulgarian), volume 3 (крес¹ – мѝнго¹), Sofia: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Pubg. House, page 573
• “люубꙑ”, in Старобългарски речник [Dictionary of Old Bulgarian] (in Bulgarian), https://histdict.uni-sofia.bg, 2011—2025

Borrowed from Carpathian Rusyn любо́в (ljubóv) or earlier Old Ruthenian любо́въ (ljubóv), ultimately from Proto-Slavic *ľuby.

• IPA^(key): [ˈʎubɔw]
• Rhymes: -ubɔw
• Hyphenation: лю‧бов

любов (ljubov) f (related adjective любовни)

1. (uncountable) love (strong affection)

   Synonym: любосц (ljubosc)

2. (countable) love (person who is the object of romantic feelings)
3. (countable) love (thing, activity etc. which is the object of one's deep liking or enthusiasm)
   • 2024 December 8, Ол. Живкович, “Виткана зоз eмоцийох”, in Руске Слово‎^[2]:

     Нови Сад остал город таки яки ше ми пачи, єдина моя велька любов.

     Novi Sad ostal horod taki jaki še mi pači, jedina moja velʹka ljubov.

     Novi Sad remained the city that I like, my only big love.

• Medʹeši, H., Fejsa, M., Timko-Djitko, O. (2010) “любов”, in Ramač, Ju., editor, Руско-сербски словнїк [Rusyn-Serbian Dictionary] (in Pannonian Rusyn), Novi Sad: Faculty of Philosophy
• Fejsa, M., Šlemender, M., Čelʹovski, S. (2022) “love”, in Анґлийско-руски словнїк [English-Rusyn Dictionary] (in Pannonian Rusyn), Novi Sad: Faculty of Philosophy; Ruska matka, →ISBN, page 170

Inherited from Middle Ukrainian любо́въ f (ljubóv, nominative and accusative), from Proto-Slavic *ľubъ̀vь f (accusative of nominative *ľubỳ f).

Cognate with Belarusian любо́ў f (ljubóŭ); Russian любо́вь f (ljubóvʹ); etc.

• IPA^(key): [lʲʊˈbɔu̯]

• Audio; [lʲʊˈbɔv̊]:

  (file)

• Homophone: Любо́в (Ljubóv)
• Rhymes: -ɔu̯
• Hyphenation: лю‧бов

любо́в • (ljubóv) f inan (genitive любо́ві or любо́ви, uncountable, relational adjective любо́вний)

1. (uncountable) love (strong affection)

   Synonym: коха́ння (koxánnja)

• Bilodid, I. K., editor (1970–1980), “любов”, in Словник української мови: в 11 т. [Dictionary of the Ukrainian Language: in 11 vols] (in Ukrainian), Kyiv: Naukova Dumka
• “любов”, in Горох – Словозміна [Horokh – Inflection] (in Ukrainian)