English
move
Move comes from Middle English moven, from Old Northern French mover ‘to move’, from Latin moveō ‘move’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *m(y)ewh₁- ‘to move, drive’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*m(y)ewh₁-‘to move, drive’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*m(y)owh₁éyetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*moweō‘to move’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmoveō‘move’
- Old Northern Frenchc. 842–1400mover‘to move’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500moven
- Englishearliest quotation 1485move
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*m(y)ewh₁-‘to move, drive’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*m(y)owh₁éyetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*moweō‘to move’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmoveō‘move’
- Old Northern Frenchc. 842–1400mover‘to move’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500moven
- Englishearliest quotation 1485move
Earliest quotation: 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur: “Sir," seyde Sir Boys, "ye nede nat to meve…”
The story
Largely displaced native English stir, from Middle English stiren, sturien, from Old English styrian.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *m(y)ewh₁- ‘to move, drive’
through Proto-Indo-European *m(y)owh₁éyeti
automobile, automotive, promoter, immobile, emotionless, 85 more
through Proto-Italic *moweō ‘to move’
mobile, auto, emotional, promote, promotion, motor, remote, emotion, momentum, mobility, motivate, motive, mobilization, motif, mobilize, removable, mobilisation, motility, mobilise, remover, emote, motile, 90 more
Today it means
verb To change place or posture; to go, in any manner, from one place or position to another.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *m(y)ewh₁- / move