These Germanic words come from the root word leubh, meaning to care for, desire, or love. This abstract noun comes from the Proto-Germanic lubo and German liebe, which also meant love. Nowadays, people see abbreviations like LOML all over text messaging and social media, from LOL, to OMG, to JFC and more!Įtymonline states that the word love comes from the Old English lufu, meaning romantic or sexual attraction.
Therefore, people began to use a plethora of different abbreviations to be able to text faster and more efficiently. Since they only had T9 keypads to text on, it took a very long time to type things out, not to mention the limited number of characters one could use in a text message. What is the origin of the phrase love of my life?Īccording to 7 ESL, the abbreviation LOML likely rose to popularity in the late 1990s or early 2000s with the advent or message boards, instant messenger, and text messaging. LOML and “love of my life” are considered terms of endearment and are kind ways to refer to the person or people that one loves. People can use this to refer to the actual love of their life – according to Merriam-Webster, this refers to the person that someone loves the most, like a husband, wife, or other romantic partner – but LOML can also refer to a figurative love of someone’s life, like a cuisine or a pet. According to Cyber Definitions, Urban Dictionary, and 7 ESL, the abbreviation LOML stands for “love of my life.” This word is often pronounced “lom-el,” instead of pronouncing each letter individually.