liebe

Liebe is the German noun for love, a central concept covering a range of strong positive emotions and attachments. In ordinary usage it can refer to romantic love, familial love, friendship, and also affection or devotion to people, activities, or ideals. The term thus spans private relationships as well as more abstract commitments.

Liebe derives from Old High German lioba or lioba, related to Proto-Germanic *liubō, linked to the broader family of terms for love in Germanic languages and English (love). The sense of intense attachment and care emerges early in the historical record and broadened across genres and contexts.

Scholars distinguish several forms of Liebe, including eros-like romantic attraction, familial Liebe (toward parents, children, relatives), and freundschaftliche Liebe (friendship). In ethics and theology, the term is connected with agape or caritas, representing selfless or charitable love. Selbstliebe (self-love) is also recognized as a necessary dimension of healthy relationships, when balanced with humility and concern for others.

In German literature and culture, Liebe appears as a central motif and as a practical interpersonal category. A common everyday expression of strong affection is ich liebe dich, while formal or public address may begin with Liebe as in "Liebe Leserinnen und Leser" (Dear readers). In modern psychology and philosophy, Liebe is studied as an affective bond influenced by emotion, cognition, and social context.