English
mower
Mower comes from Middle English mowen ‘to be strong or powerful’, from Old English magan ‘can, to be able’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *megʰ-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*megʰ-‘to be able’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*(me)mógʰe‘to have power, to be able to’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*maganą‘to be able, may’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*magan‘to be able, may’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150magan‘can, to be able’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500mowen‘to be strong or powerful’
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500mowere
- Englishearliest quotation 1828mower
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*megʰ-‘to be able’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*(me)mógʰe‘to have power, to be able to’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*maganą‘to be able, may’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*magan‘to be able, may’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150magan‘can, to be able’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500mowen‘to be strong or powerful’
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500mowere
- Englishearliest quotation 1828mower
Earliest quotation: 1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology: “They especially liked to be with the mowers in…”
Formed from mow + -er
Proto-Indo-European *h₂meh₁- ‘to mow, reap’
Proto-Germanic *mēaną ‘to mow, cut down’
Proto-West Germanic *māan ‘to mow’
Old English māwan ‘to mow’
Middle English mowen ‘to mow’
English mow
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *megʰ- ‘to be able’
main, mechanical, mechanism, mechanic, magician, dismay, mage, mecha, machinist, magus, 76 more
through Proto-Indo-European *(me)mógʰe ‘to have power, to be able to’
through Proto-Germanic *maganą ‘to be able, may’
mighty, yay, mightily, yayo, 3 more
through Old English magan ‘can, to be able’
through Middle English mowen ‘to be strong or powerful’
Today it means
noun A lawnmower, a machine used to cut grass on lawns.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *megʰ- / mower