English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology

"M" Word Origins

Where do words come from? Trace the origin and history of any English word, from its Latin, Greek or Old English roots through to its modern meaning. Every etymology is sourced.

“M” Word Origins

From Ancient Greek Μαῖα (Maia), also the origin of the month name "May."

A shortened form of Middle English "maiden", ultimately from Old English maegden, "girl".

From Old English maegden, "girl", ultimately from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "girl" or "virgin".

From "maiden," an unmarried woman, plus "name" — the name held before marriage.

From Middle English maidenly, equivalent to maiden + -ly.

From Middle English maide servant; equivalent to maid + servant.

From Japanese 舞妓 (maiko), literally "dancing child."

The postal sense comes from Old French male ("bag, wallet"), from a Frankish word for a bag used to carry letters. The armor sense is unrelated, from Old French maille, ultimately from Latin macula ("mesh, spot").

From mail + box.

From mail (armor) + -ed.

From mail + -er.

From mail + -ing.

From mail + man.

From mail + room.

From mail + shot.

From Middle English maymen, from Anglo-Norman mahaigner — the same root that gives us "mayhem."

From Middle English maymed, past participle of maimen.

From Old English mægen ("strength, principal force"), related to the verb "may" in the sense of power or ability.

The U.S. state was named by early French explorers after the French province of Maine, whose own name comes from Old French Cemaine, ultimately from the Gaulish Cenomani tribe.

From main + frame.

From Middle English mayne londe, equivalent to main + land.

From main + line.

From Middle English maynly, from main + -ly.

Related to the plural of main, and to "manse."

From main + sail.

From main + sheet.

From Middle English main stai, equivalent to main + stay (“rope”).

From main + stream.

From mainstream + -er.

From Old French maintenir, from Latin manu tenere, literally "to hold in the hand."

From Old French maintenance, from maintenir "to maintain", ultimately from Latin manu tenere, "to hold in the hand".

An English habitational surname taken from a lost place name in Normandy.

From Middle English mair, mare, from Old English māra (“more”), from Proto-Germanic *maizô. More at more.

Anglicisation of Irish Máire (“Mary”).

As an English surname, a variant of Mayes; as a German surname, derived from Middle High German meiz, "cleared land."

Scottish Gaelic

From Scottish Gaelic Mairead with the diminutive ending -sie.

A spelling variant of Mason, or in some cases directly from French maison, "house."

Borrowed from French maisonnette. Doublet of mansionette.

Possibly from Anglo-Norman maltalent, "bad temper," used as a nickname, though it may also derive from the Norman village of Mautalant.

Borrowed from Spanish maíz, from a Taíno word for the plant.

From majesty + -ic, first used in this form in the 1600s.

From Old French majesté, from Latin maiestas, related to Latin maior ("greater").

From Arabic مجيد (majīd), meaning "majestic" or "magnificent."

From Latin maior, comparative of magnus ("great, large"). A doublet of "mayor."

From Italian maggiordomo and Spanish mayordomo, from Late Latin maior domūs (“steward”), from Latin maior (“main, principal”) + genitive singular of domus (“household”).

From Middle French maiorité, from Medieval Latin maioritas, from Latin maior ("greater").

From major + -ly.

Borrowed from French majuscule, from Latin majuscula (littera).