Etymograph

English

may

May comes from Old English magan ‘can, to be able’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *megʰ-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*megʰ-‘to be able’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*(me)mógʰe‘to be able’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*maganą‘to be able’reconstructed
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*magan‘to be able’reconstructed
  5. Old Englishc. 450–1150magan‘can’
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500magen
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1600may

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*megʰ-‘to be able’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*(me)mógʰe‘to be able’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*maganą‘to be able’reconstructed
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*magan‘to be able’reconstructed
  5. Old Englishc. 450–1150magan‘can’
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500magen
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1600may

Earliest quotation: 1600, William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream: “O weary night, O long and tedious night, Abate…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *megʰ- ‘to be able’

main, mechanical, mechanism, mechanic, magician, mecha, mage, dismay, machinist, magus, 76 more

through Proto-Indo-European *(me)mógʰe ‘to be able’

might, 2 more

through Proto-Germanic *maganą ‘to be able, may’

mighty, yay, mightily, yayo, 3 more

through Old English magan ‘can, to be able’

mower, 2 more

Another origin of may

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEMaius
  2. Old Frenchc. 842–1400mai
  3. Frenchc. 1600–presentsame form‘May (month)’
  4. Englishtodaymay

From French mai, so called because it blossoms in the month of May.

Today it means

verb To be strong; to have power (over).

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *megʰ- / may

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