"Old English
sawol "spiritual and emotional part of a person, animate existence,"
from Proto-Germanic *saiwalo (cf. Old Saxon seola, Old Norse sala, Old Frisian
sele, Middle Dutch siele, Dutch ziel, Old High German seula, German Seele,
Gothic saiwala), of uncertain origin. Sometimes said to mean originally
"coming from or belonging to the sea," because that was supposed to
be the stopping place of the soul before birth or after death. Hence, from
Proto-Germanic *saiwaz (see sea). Meaning "spirit of a deceased
person" is attested in Old English from 971. As a synonym for
"person, individual" (e.g. every living soul) it dates from early
14c. Soul-searching (n.) is attested from 1948, from the phrase used as a past
participle adjective (1610s)."
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