Old Norse
Etymology
From Proto-Norse ᛚᛖᚢᛒᚨᛉ (leubaʀ), from Proto-Germanic *leubaz, from Proto-Indo-European *lewbʰ- (“to like; love”). Related to modern English love.
Adjective
ljúfr (comparative ljúfari, superlative ljúfastr)
- dear, beloved
- mild, gentle
Declension
Strong declension of ljúfr
| singular
|
masculine
|
feminine
|
neuter
|
| nominative
|
ljúfr
|
ljúf
|
ljúft
|
| accusative
|
ljúfan
|
ljúfa
|
ljúft
|
| dative
|
ljúfum
|
ljúfri
|
ljúfu
|
| genitive
|
ljúfs
|
ljúfrar
|
ljúfs
|
|
|
| plural
|
masculine
|
feminine
|
neuter
|
| nominative
|
ljúfir
|
ljúfar
|
ljúf
|
| accusative
|
ljúfa
|
ljúfar
|
ljúf
|
| dative
|
ljúfum
|
ljúfum
|
ljúfum
|
| genitive
|
ljúfra
|
ljúfra
|
ljúfra
|
Weak declension of ljúfr
| singular
|
masculine
|
feminine
|
neuter
|
| nominative
|
ljúfi
|
ljúfa
|
ljúfa
|
| accusative
|
ljúfa
|
ljúfu
|
ljúfa
|
| dative
|
ljúfa
|
ljúfu
|
ljúfa
|
| genitive
|
ljúfa
|
ljúfu
|
ljúfa
|
|
|
| plural
|
masculine
|
feminine
|
neuter
|
| nominative
|
ljúfu
|
ljúfu
|
ljúfu
|
| accusative
|
ljúfu
|
ljúfu
|
ljúfu
|
| dative
|
ljúfum
|
ljúfum
|
ljúfum
|
| genitive
|
ljúfu
|
ljúfu
|
ljúfu
|
Declension of comparative of ljúfr
| singular
|
masculine
|
feminine
|
neuter
|
| nominative
|
ljúfari
|
ljúfari
|
ljúfara
|
| accusative
|
ljúfara
|
ljúfari
|
ljúfara
|
| dative
|
ljúfara
|
ljúfari
|
ljúfara
|
| genitive
|
ljúfara
|
ljúfari
|
ljúfara
|
|
|
| plural
|
masculine
|
feminine
|
neuter
|
| nominative
|
ljúfari
|
ljúfari
|
ljúfari
|
| accusative
|
ljúfari
|
ljúfari
|
ljúfari
|
| dative
|
ljúfurum
|
ljúfurum
|
ljúfurum
|
| genitive
|
ljúfari
|
ljúfari
|
ljúfari
|
Strong declension of superlative of ljúfr
| singular
|
masculine
|
feminine
|
neuter
|
| nominative
|
ljúfastr
|
ljúfust
|
ljúfast
|
| accusative
|
ljúfastan
|
ljúfasta
|
ljúfast
|
| dative
|
ljúfustum
|
ljúfastri
|
ljúfustu
|
| genitive
|
ljúfasts
|
ljúfastrar
|
ljúfasts
|
|
|
| plural
|
masculine
|
feminine
|
neuter
|
| nominative
|
ljúfastir
|
ljúfastar
|
ljúfust
|
| accusative
|
ljúfasta
|
ljúfastar
|
ljúfust
|
| dative
|
ljúfustum
|
ljúfustum
|
ljúfustum
|
| genitive
|
ljúfastra
|
ljúfastra
|
ljúfastra
|
Weak declension of superlative of ljúfr
| singular
|
masculine
|
feminine
|
neuter
|
| nominative
|
ljúfasti
|
ljúfasta
|
ljúfasta
|
| accusative
|
ljúfasta
|
ljúfustu
|
ljúfasta
|
| dative
|
ljúfasta
|
ljúfustu
|
ljúfasta
|
| genitive
|
ljúfasta
|
ljúfustu
|
ljúfasta
|
|
|
| plural
|
masculine
|
feminine
|
neuter
|
| nominative
|
ljúfustu
|
ljúfustu
|
ljúfustu
|
| accusative
|
ljúfustu
|
ljúfustu
|
ljúfustu
|
| dative
|
ljúfustum
|
ljúfustum
|
ljúfustum
|
| genitive
|
ljúfustu
|
ljúfustu
|
ljúfustu
|
Derived terms
- ljúft ok leitt (“weal and woe”)
Descendants
- Icelandic: ljúfur
- Faroese: ljúvur
- Norwegian Nynorsk: ljuv
- Old Swedish: liūver, liufwer
- Swedish: ljuv, ljuf (pre-1906 spelling)
- Old Danish: ljuv
Further reading
- Zoëga, Geir T. (1910) “ljúfr”, in A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press, page 277; also available at the Internet Archive