lifeblood
UK[ˈlaɪfblʌd]US[ˈlaɪfblʌd]
n
The thing that is most important to the continued existence and success of something else.
n
The blood that is necessary for life.
Morpheme Breakdown
life
blood
life
state of living
blood
vital fluid
Etymology
The compound 'lifeblood' is a native English formation, combining two foundational Germanic words. 'Life', from Old English 'līf', carries the core sense of animate existence, while 'blood', from Old English 'blōd', represents the vital fluid considered essential for sustaining that existence. Literally, it meant the blood necessary for biological life. Through metaphorical extension, a process common in English, this concrete, physiological concept was applied to abstract systems. Thus, the term evolved to signify the indispensable element or driving force without which an organization, system, or project cannot survive or thrive, perfectly mirroring the literal dependency of life on blood.
Analysis
Structure: life (state of living) + blood (vital fluid)
- life: From Old English 'līf', of Germanic origin, related to Dutch 'lijf' and German 'Leib'. It functions as a noun denoting the condition that distinguishes active organisms.
- blood: From Old English 'blōd', of Germanic origin, related to Dutch 'bloed' and German 'Blut'. It functions as a noun denoting the red liquid circulating in the arteries and veins.
Examples
Tourism is the lifeblood of the island's economy.
For a newspaper, advertising revenue is its lifeblood.
The volunteers are the lifeblood of this charity.