Etymology: Old English blíðs (accusative blíðse ) strong feminine = Old Saxon blîdsea , blîtzea , blîzza < Germanic type *blîþsjâ- < *blîþi-s , Gothic bleiþs , Old Saxon blîthi , Old English blíðe blithe, joyous + suffix -sjâ- , standing, after dentals, for original -tjâ (compare Latin laetitia ). Gothic has, instead, the parallel form bleiþ-ei < Old Germanic *blîþ-în- . In later Old English by assimilation and vowel-shortening blíðs became bliss , blis , Middle English blisse : compare Old English milds , milts ( < Germanic *mild-sjâ- = *mild-tjâ- ) mildness, clemency, Middle English milze , milce , milse . The meaning of bliss and that of bless have mutually influenced each other since an early period; compare bless v.¹; confusion of spelling is frequent from the time of Wyclif to the 17th cent. Hence the gradual tendency to withdraw bliss from earthly ‘blitheness’ to the beatitude of the blessed in heaven, or that which is likened to it.

Etymology: Old English blíðsian , blissian = Old Saxon blîdsean , blizzen , < blíðs , bliss , noun. Now blended in the verb bless v.¹