Etymology

blithe

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Today it means: Casually careless or indifferent; showing a lack of concern; nonchalant. Full definition →

Middle English blithe ← Old English blīþe ← Proto-West Germanic *blīþī
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blithe · adjective1

  1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*bʰel-“shiny; white”
  2. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*bʰlī-“fine; light; pleasant”
  3. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*blīþiz“friendly; gentle, mild; pleasing”
  4. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*blīþī
  5. Old English · inherited fromblīþe“happy, gentle”
  6. Middle English · inherited fromblithe“glad, happy, joyful; causing joy, joyous; gentle, mild; gracious, merciful; bright, shining; beautiful, fair”
  7. English todayblithe

From Middle English blithe (“glad, happy, joyful; causing joy, joyous; gentle, mild; gracious, merciful; bright, shining; beautiful, fair”) [and other forms], from Old English blīþe (“happy, gentle”), from Proto-West Germanic *blīþī, from Proto-Germanic *blīþiz (“friendly; gentle, mild; pleasing”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰlī- (“fine; light; pleasant”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“shiny; white”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian bliede (“glad, cheerful, merry”), West Frisian bliid (“cheerful, glad”), Dutch blij (“happy”), German Low German blied (“happy, lucky”).

Blithe · proper noun2

Likely derived from the Old English adjective blīþe (“joyful, merry”).

Words from the same roots

Old Englishblīþe all →

blytheBlythblyBlithedale

Proto-Indo-European*bʰel- all →

bloodboldflamespellballoonflavorblazeblazerblushbleachbalebellowblemishblainaflameCymbelineeffulgentBelenusbieldblikefilicologythrapple

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.