leibliche

Leibliche is the attributive form of the German adjective leiblich, meaning bodily, physical, or biological in kinship contexts. In everyday usage, leiblich describes relationships that arise from the body rather than through adoption or legal guardianship. It is commonly seen in phrases such as leibliche Mutter (biological mother), leibliche Eltern (biological parents), and leibliche Abstammung (biological descent). The term helps distinguish between biological ties and legal or social relationships.

Grammatically, leiblich declines like a standard German adjective. In the feminine singular nominative or accusative, the form is leibliche, as in die leibliche Mutter. Other cases and genders yield different endings, and the plural appears as leibliche in certain positions (e.g., die leiblichen Eltern). The base form leiblich is widely used in compounds and in attributive position before nouns.

Etymology and scope: The word derives from Leib, meaning “body.” Leiblich originally signified corporeal or bodily and over time came to describe biological kinship. It has cognates in related languages, such as Dutch lijf, meaning body, reflecting shared Germanic roots. In modern German, leiblich is primarily informational or descriptive, especially in legal, genealogical, or medical contexts.

Usage and nuances: While neutral, leiblich is most often found in discussions of family relationships, inheritance, or medical descriptions of bodily origin. It contrasts with terms like adoptiert or rechtlich, which indicate non-biological or legally defined ties. See also terms such as Leib, Leibesfrucht, biologische Abstammung, and körperlich.