English
maid
Maid comes from Middle English mayde ‘a maid’, from Old English mæġden ‘girl’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *mogʰus ‘boy’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*mogʰus‘boy’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*maguz‘boy’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*magaþs‘girl, virgin’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*magaþ‘girl’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150mæġden‘girl’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500maiden
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500mayde‘a maid’abbreviation of maiden
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1601–1602maid
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*mogʰus‘boy’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*maguz‘boy’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*magaþs‘girl, virgin’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*magaþ‘girl’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150mæġden‘girl’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500maiden
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500mayde‘a maid’abbreviation of maiden
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1601–1602maid
Earliest quotation: c. 1601–1602, William Shakespeare, Twelfe Night, or What You Will: “You are betrothed both to a maid and man.”
Every English word from Proto-Indo-European *mogʰus
Today it means
noun A girl or an unmarried young woman; maiden.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *mogʰus / maid