Bluts

Bluts is a form encountered in German primarily as a bound stem derived from the noun Blut, which means blood. It is not used as an independent word in standard modern German; instead, Bluts- functions as a connector in many compound words to convey a sense related to blood or to kinship through blood.

In practice, Bluts- appears in a range of compounds that emphasize familial ties, blood-related characteristics, or biological affinity. Examples include Blutsbruder (blood brother), Blutsverwandte (blood relatives), Blutsauger (bloodsucker), and Blutsbande (blood ties). The linking form is a conventional way to extend the meaning of Blut into new terms, and it helps create easily recognizable expressions in everyday and literary language.

Etymologically, the base word Blut comes from Old High German blūt, with origins in the Proto-Germanic word *blôdą, cognate with the English word blood. In compounds, the stem often appears as Bluts- to connect with the following element, a pattern common in German word formation. The use of Bluts- is not a separate lexical item; rather, it is a productive form that signals the involvement of blood in the concept described by the compound.

Outside of German dialogue and literature, Bluts- is rarely treated as a standalone term. In most contexts, the base noun Blut is used by itself for the bodily fluid, while Bluts- serves as a morphological device within compound words.

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