Laib

See also: láib

German

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle High German leip, from Old High German hleib, from Proto-West Germanic *hlaib.

Cognate with English loaf, Polish chleb, Russian хлеб (xleb). The spelling with -ai- follows the old Upper German orthography; it was advocated by grammarians such as Gottsched in order to distinguish from Leib (“body”).

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /laɪ̯p/
  • Audio(file)
  • Homophone: Leib
  • Rhymes: -aɪ̯p

Noun

Laib m (strong, genitive Laibes or Laibs, plural Laibe or (alternatively after numerals) Laib, diminutive Laibchen n or Laiblein n)

  1. loaf (of bread), wheel, block (of cheese)

Usage notes
  • A fairly rare word in practice because one would usually say ein Brot, ein Käse (literally “a bread, a cheese”), unless there is some need for clarity.

Declension
Declension of Laib [masculine, strong]
singular plural
indef. def. noun def. noun
nominative ein der Laib die Laibe, Laib
genitive eines des Laibes, Laibs der Laibe, Laib
dative einem dem Laib, Laibe1 den Laiben, Laib
accusative einen den Laib die Laibe, Laib

1Now rare, see notes.

Further reading
  • “Laib” in Duden online
  • “Laib” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
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