leof

Old English

From Proto-Germanic *leubaz (“dear, beloved”). Cognate with Old Frisian liāf, Old Saxon liof, Old High German liob, Old Norse ljúfr, Gothic 𐌻𐌹𐌿𐍆𐍃 (liufs). Non-Germanic cognates include Polish luby (“dear, beloved”). Related to lufu (“love”).

lēof (comparative lēofra, superlative lēofest or lēofost or lēofast)

dear, beloved
- late 10th century, Ælfric, "Saint George, Martyr"
  Nāst þū lā Geori þæt ūre godas swincað mid þē and ġit hī synd ġeþyldiġe þæt hī þe miltsion. Nū lǣre ic ðē swā swā lēofne sunu þæt ðū þæra cristenra lāre forlǣte mid ealle and tō mīnum rǣde hraðe ġebūge swā þæt ðū offriġe þām ārwurðan Appoline and þū mycelne wurðmynt miht swā beġitan.
  Knowest thou not, O George, that our gods are striving with thee, and even yet they are patient, that they may pity thee; now I exhort thee, as a beloved son, that thou altogether quit the Christians' doctrine, and quickly incline to my counsel, so that thou sacrifice to the venerable Apollo, and thou mayest so obtain great honour.

Declension of lēof — Strong

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	lēof	lēof	lēof
Accusative	lēofne	lēofe	lēof
Genitive	lēofes	lēofre	lēofes
Dative	lēofum	lēofre	lēofum
Instrumental	lēofe	lēofre	lēofe
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	lēofe	lēofa, lēofe	lēof
Accusative	lēofe	lēofa, lēofe	lēof
Genitive	lēofra	lēofra	lēofra
Dative	lēofum	lēofum	lēofum
Instrumental	lēofum	lēofum	lēofum

Declension of lēof — Weak

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	lēofa	lēofe	lēofe
Accusative	lēofan	lēofan	lēofe
Genitive	lēofan	lēofan	lēofan
Dative	lēofan	lēofan	lēofan
Instrumental	lēofan	lēofan	lēofan
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	lēofan	lēofan	lēofan
Accusative	lēofan	lēofan	lēofan
Genitive	lēofra, lēofena	lēofra, lēofena	lēofra, lēofena
Dative	lēofum	lēofum	lēofum
Instrumental	lēofum	lēofum	lēofum

lēof m

friend, loved one
as a form of address, sir, can be applied to one or more people, regardless of gender.

Middle English: lef, leve, lefe, leffe, life, live, luf (Southern or West Midlands)
- English: lief; ⇒ livelong
- Scots: lief, lee
- ⇒ Yola: liveer