Etymograph

English

mighty

Mighty comes from Proto-Germanic *mahtiz ‘power, ability’, from *maganą ‘to be able, may’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *megʰ-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*megʰ-‘to be able’root as named
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*mógʰtisreconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*maganą‘to be able, may’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*mahtiz‘power, ability’reconstructed
  5. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*mahtīgazreconstructed
  6. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*mahtīgreconstructed
  7. Old Englishc. 450–1150mihtiġ
  8. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500mighty
  9. Englishearliest quotation 1611same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*megʰ-‘to be able’root as named
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*mógʰtisreconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*maganą‘to be able, may’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*mahtiz‘power, ability’reconstructed
  5. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*mahtīgazreconstructed
  6. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*mahtīgreconstructed
  7. Old Englishc. 450–1150mihtiġ
  8. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500mighty
  9. Englishearliest quotation 1611same form

Earliest quotation: 1611, The Holy Bible, London: […] Robert Barker: “And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo,…”

Formed from might + -y

Linked words

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

main, mechanical, mechanism, mechanic, magician, dismay, mage, mecha, machinist, magus, 78 more

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

may, yay, mower, yayo, 4 more

Today it means

noun A warrior of great strength and courage.

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

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

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