bleed
To lose blood from the body as a result of injury or illness.
Etymology
From Old English blēdan (to bleed), from Proto-Germanic *blōþijaną, a verb derived from *blōþą (blood). The ultimate PIE source is debated, but the most accepted reconstruction connects it to *bʰleh₁- (to blow, to swell), with blood being conceptualised as 'that which flows or gushes.' Some scholars alternatively connect it to *bʰleh₃- (to bloom, flourish).
The Journey: *bʰleh₁- → bleed
*bʰleh₁- (debated)
*blōþijaną
blēdan
bleed
Cognates Across Languages
These words in other languages descend from the same PIE root *bʰleh₁-. They are not borrowings but independent inheritances from a common ancestor.
| Language | Word |
|---|---|
| Dutch | bloeden — to bleed |
| German | bluten — to bleed |
| Swedish | blöda — to bleed |
| Old Norse | blœða — to bleed |
Did You Know?
Bleed, blood, bless, and possibly bloom may all trace to the same PIE root. The Old English word blētsian (to bless) originally meant 'to consecrate with blood' — a relic of pagan sacrifice.
This word descends from the Proto-Indo-European root *bʰleh₁-. See the full root page for descendant trees, sound law references, and scholarly discussion.