English
maiden
Maiden comes from Old English mæġden ‘girl’, from Proto-Germanic *maguz ‘boy’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *mogʰus.
- 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‘maiden, girl’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*magaþreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150mæġeþ‘girl’by way of Proto-West Germanic *magaþ
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150mæġden‘girl’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500mayden
- Englishearliest quotation 1470–1485maiden
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‘maiden, girl’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*magaþreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150mæġeþ‘girl’by way of Proto-West Germanic *magaþ
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150mæġden‘girl’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500mayden
- Englishearliest quotation 1470–1485maiden
Earliest quotation: 1470–1485, Capitulum Quartum: “As for that ſaid ſire Bors I wille be…”
Formed from maid + -en
Proto-Indo-European *mogʰus ‘boy’
…
Proto-West Germanic *magaþ ‘girl’
Old English mæġden ‘girl’
Middle English maiden
Middle English mayde ‘a maid’
English maid
Every English word from Proto-Indo-European *mogʰus
Today it means
noun A girl or an unmarried young woman.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *mogʰus / maiden