German Conversation · Level 91
59 words
German word
Leib
Pronunciation
IPA/laɪ̯p/
Meaning
- masculine nounbody
Example
Er spürte Schmerzen in seinem Leib.
He felt pain in his body.
More examples
Sie engagierte sich mit Leib und Seele für das Projekt.
She devoted herself to the project with body and soul.
Core concept
The tangible human or animal body as the seat of physical experience.
Common phrases
mit Leib und Seele
with body and soul
etwas am Leib haben
have something on one's person
Similar words
Körper: The complete human or animal body, inside and out.
Bauch: The abdominal area from the solar plexus downward.
Körperteil: An individual part of the body, such as an arm or leg.
Definition in German
Leib bezeichnet den physischen Körper eines Menschen oder Tieres und hebt das leiblich Erlebte hervor.
Word origin
The German noun Leib developed from Old High German līp through a meaning connected with life and the living body, sharing an older root with English life.
Usage tips
- Körper is the usual neutral everyday word for 'body', while Leib often sounds more literary or emphasizes embodied experience.