† livenothn.

Etymology: Either (i) < early Scandinavian (compare Old Icelandic lifnaðr conduct of life, monastic life, Old Swedish lifnaþer conduct of life, monastic life (Swedish (now archaic or literary) levnad life, existence, way of living), Old Danish lifneth , lefneth life, existence, lifetime, way of living (Danish (now archaic or literary) levned )) < the Germanic base of live v.¹ + a Germanic suffix forming nouns (also seen in e.g. Old English hæftnoð confinement, imprisonment, Old Icelandic búnaðr household, dress, equipment, ornaments collectively, baggage, Old Swedish bonaþer furniture, accoutrements collectively (Swedish bonad tapestry, (now regional and rare) furniture, house apparel)), or perhaps (ii) the reflex of an unattested Old English noun < the Germanic base of live v.¹ + the above-mentioned Germanic suffix.The senses of the English word appear to be unparalleled in the Scandinavian languages; however, with the semantic development compare earlier livelihood n.¹ The suffix apparently arose by reanalysis of -th suffix¹ in deverbal nouns formed from verbs whose stem ended in n : see further H. Krahe & W. Meid German. Sprachwiss. (ed. 7, 1969) III. §124. The vowel in the last syllable of the β. forms perhaps shows influence of livelihood n.¹ (compare α. forms at that entry).