Etymograph

English

Maine

Maine comes from French Maine.

  1. Frenchc. 1600–presentMaine
  2. Englishearliest quotation 2019same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history not traced here.

Lineage

  1. Frenchc. 1600–presentMaine
  2. Englishearliest quotation 2019same form

Earliest quotation: 2019, Peter C. Mancall: “These first English migrants to Jamestown endured terrible disease…”

The story

The US state is from French Maine, named by its French explorers after the province in France with the same name. The word was rebracketed as ce (‘this’) + Maine, and the ce- was lost by the 12th century.

Another origin of Maine

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEMeduāna
  2. Frenchc. 1600–presentMaine#Etymology_2_2
  3. EnglishtodayMaine

Unrelated to the French province of the same name.

Another origin of Maine

  1. Irishc. 1200–presentAn Mhaing
  2. EnglishtodayMaine

Another origin of Maine

  1. Old Irishc. 600–900Maine
  2. Englishtodaysame form

Today it means

name A former province of Pays de la Loire, France. Capital: Le Mans.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / French Maine / Maine