Lebens

Lebens is a bound morpheme in German that functions as a form of the noun Leben, meaning life. It is not typically used as an independent word in modern standard German. Instead, Lebens appears in compound nouns to indicate a relation to life, living conditions, or life-related concepts. The element derives from the genitive form des Lebens and is attached to another noun to form a new term, such as Lebensraum or Lebensqualität.

In everyday usage, Lebens occurs as the first part of many well-established compounds. Examples and brief meanings include:

- Lebensraum: habitat or living space for organisms or for a population.

- Lebensqualität: standard or quality of life.

- Lebenslauf: curriculum vitae, or the life course of a person.

- Lebensstil: lifestyle.

- Lebensunterhalt: means of subsistence or livelihood.

- Lebensjahr: year of a person’s life, i.e., age.

- Lebensmittel: foodstuffs or provisions.

These compounds are written as closed words in German and are capitalized as nouns, with Lebens functioning as a prefix-like element that broadens the sense to life-related domains. The use of Lebens allows speakers to form precise terms for various aspects of living, existence, and well-being. While its precise interpretation can shift slightly with context, the core idea remains: Lebens signals a connection to life or living conditions within a compound noun. See also Leben for the base noun and related philosophical or sociological terms such as Lebenswelt (lifeworld) in broader discussions of human experience.