любов

See also: Любов and љубов

Bulgarian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *ľuby. An alternative form of любъ́в (ljubǎ́v), but with a vocalised strong yer. Attested in a Tarnovo recension Middle Bulgarian manuscript from the early 1400s, so either one of the few cases of strong yer vocalisation in Eastern Bulgarian or influenced by Western Bulgarian tradition.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [lʲo̟ˈbɔf]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔf

Noun

любо́в • (ljubóv) f (relational adjective любо́вен)

1. (uncountable) love, attachment, affection

   Synonym: о́бич (óbič)

2. (countable) love affair, a romance
3. (countable) a love, a darling, a sweetheart (the object of one’s romantic feelings)
4. (uncountable) enthusiasm, fervour, zeal

   Synonyms: охо́та (ohóta), жела́ние (želánie)

Declension

Declension of любо́в

	singular	plural
indefinite	любо́в ljubóv	любо́ви ljubóvi
definite	любовта́ ljubovtá	любо́вите ljubóvite

Alternative forms

• любъв (ljubǎv) — obsolete

Derived terms

• любо́вник m (ljubóvnik), любо́вница f (ljubóvnica)
• любвеоби́лен (ljubveobílen, “loving, amative”)

Related terms

• лю́бя (ljúbja, “to love”), любу́вам се (ljubúvam se, “to relish, to enjoy”)
• люб (ljub, “amiable, charming”) (obsolete, found in compounds)

References

• “любов”, in Речник на българския език [Dictionary of the Bulgarian Language] (in Bulgarian), Sofia: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2014
• “любов”, in Речник на българския език [Dictionary of the Bulgarian Language] (in Bulgarian), Chitanka, 2010
• Nayden Gerov (1899) “любо́вь и любъ́вь”, in Рѣчникъ на Блъгарскꙑй язꙑкъ. Съ тлъкувание рѣчи-тꙑ на Блъгарскꙑ и на Русскꙑ. [Dictionary of the Bulgarian language]‎^[1] (in Bulgarian), volume 3, Plovdiv: Дружествена печꙗтница "Съгласие.", page 35
• Georgiev, Vladimir I., editor (1986), “любов”, in Български етимологичен речник [Bulgarian Etymological Dictionary] (in Bulgarian), volume 3 (крес¹ – мѝнго¹), Sofia: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Pubg. House, page 573
• “люубꙑ”, in Старобългарски речник [Dictionary of Old Bulgarian] (in Bulgarian), https://histdict.uni-sofia.bg, 2011—2025

Pannonian Rusyn

Etymology

Borrowed from Carpathian Rusyn любо́в (ljubóv) or earlier Old Ruthenian любо́въ (ljubóv), ultimately from Proto-Slavic *ľuby.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈʎubɔf]
• Rhymes: -ubɔf
• Hyphenation: лю‧бов

Noun

любов (ljubov) f (related adjective любовни)

1. (uncountable) love (strong affection)

   Synonym: любосц (ljubosc)

2. (countable) love (person who is the object of romantic feelings)
3. (countable) love (thing, activity etc. which is the object of one's deep liking or enthusiasm)
   • 2024 December 8, Ол. Живкович, “Виткана зоз eмоцийох”, in Руске Слово‎^[2]:

     Нови Сад остал город таки яки ше ми пачи, єдина моя велька любов.

     Novi Sad ostal horod taki jaki še mi pači, jedina moja velʹka ljubov.

     Novi Sad remained the city that I like, my only big love.

Declension

Declension of любов

	singular	plural
nominative	любов (ljubov)	любови (ljubovi)
genitive	любови (ljubovi)	любовох (ljubovox)
dative	любови (ljubovi)	любовом (ljubovom)
accusative	любов (ljubov)	любови (ljubovi)
instrumental	любову (ljubovu)	любовами (ljubovami)
locative	любови (ljubovi)	любовох (ljubovox)
vocative	любов / любови (ljubov / ljubovi)	любови (ljubovi)

Related terms

adjectives

• любезни (ljubezni)
• любени (ljubeni)
• люби (ljubi)
• любки (ljubki)
• любовни (ljubovni)

nouns

• любимец m anim (ljubimec)
• любимица f (ljubimica)
• любитель m pers (ljubitelʹ)
• любовнїк m pers (ljubovnjik)
• любовнїца f (ljubovnjica)

verbs

• любац impf (ljubac)
• любиц impf (ljubic)
• любкац impf (ljubkac)
• любовац impf (ljubovac)

References

• Medʹeši, H., Fejsa, M., Timko-Djitko, O. (2010) “любов”, in Ramač, Ju., editor, Руско-сербски словнїк [Rusyn-Serbian Dictionary] (in Pannonian Rusyn), Novi Sad: Faculty of Philosophy
• Fejsa, M., Šlemender, M., Čelʹovski, S. (2022) “love”, in Анґлийско-руски словнїк [English-Rusyn Dictionary] (in Pannonian Rusyn), Novi Sad: Faculty of Philosophy; Ruska matka, →ISBN, page 170

Ukrainian

Etymology

Inherited from Old Ukrainian любо́въ f (ljubóv, nominative and accusative), from Proto-Slavic *ľubъ̀vь f (accusative of nominative *ľubỳ f).

Cognate with Belarusian любо́ў f (ljubóŭ); Russian любо́вь f (ljubóvʹ); etc.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [lʲʊˈbɔu̯]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Homophone: Любо́в (Ljubóv)
• Rhymes: -ɔu̯
• Hyphenation: лю‧бов

Noun

любо́в • (ljubóv) f inan (genitive любо́ві or любо́ви, uncountable, relational adjective любо́вний)

1. (uncountable) love (strong affection)

   Synonym: коха́ння (koxánnja)

Declension

Declension of любо́в
(inan sg-only 3rd-decl fem-form accent-a)

	singular
nominative	любо́в ljubóv
genitive	любо́ві, любо́ви ljubóvi, ljubóvy
dative	любо́ві ljubóvi
accusative	любо́в ljubóv
instrumental	любо́в'ю ljubóvʺju
locative	любо́ві ljubóvi
vocative	любо́ве ljubóve

Related terms

• любо́вно (ljubóvno)

References

• Bilodid, I. K., editor (1970–1980), “любов”, in Словник української мови: в 11 т. [Dictionary of the Ukrainian Language: in 11 vols] (in Ukrainian), Kyiv: Naukova Dumka
• “любов”, in Горох – Словозміна [Horokh – Inflection] (in Ukrainian)