herlich

Herlich is a term in German-language contexts that may refer to a surname or to an archaic or dialectal adjective form. It is not a common modern standard form, but it appears in historical or regional writings and in some older spellings.

As an adjective, herlich is an older variant of herzlich. In modern standard German, herzlich means “heartfelt,” “cordial,” or “sincere.” The form herlich appears in older texts or in certain regional varieties and is generally considered obsolete or marked as dialectal today. The standard spelling and usage in contemporary language align with herzlich.

Usage of the word today is typically limited to historical texts, dialect literature, or stylistic contexts where authors intentionally invoke older language. In everyday contemporary German, users would normally employ herzlich in phrases such as herzlich willkommen (heartfelt welcome) or herzliche Grüße (kind regards).

Herlich also exists as a surname in German-speaking areas. As a surname, it may derive from the old adjective form or reflect a descriptive nickname or topographic origin common to historical German naming practices. Surnames like this can be found in records from Germany, Austria, and neighboring regions, often without a direct, traceable single meaning beyond their historical linguistic roots.

Overall, herlich is primarily of historical or genealogical interest today, contrasted with the widely used and semantically closest modern form, herzlich.