Where does “Michaelmas” come from?
Michaelmas comes from Middle English Mighelmes, a compound of the archangel Michael's name and Old English mæsse meaning "mass" or religious festival.
Michaelmas (English): A Christian feast celebrated on the 29th of September in honour of the archangel Michael
Definitions
- A Christian feast celebrated on the 29th of September in honour of the archangel Michael
Ancestry of “Michaelmas”, step by step
Michaelmas traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via English Mas
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Mas | Master, used as a title of respect; The title of... |
| 2 | French | mas | farm, ranch, house |
| 3 | Occitan | mas | farmhouse, typical country house |
| 4 | Latin | magis | more; more greatly; better |
| 5 | Dutch | magisch | magical, controlled or determined by supernatural... |
| 6 | Dutch | magie | magic, sorcery occult woo, black or white magic, etc.; hence supernatural occurrences or phenonomena |
| 7 | French | magie | magic; A magical, surprising, fascinating feat;... |
| 8 | Middle French | magie | — |
| 9 | Latin | magīa | magic, sorcery |
| 10 | Ancient Greek | μαγεία | theology of the Magians |
| 11 | Ancient Greek | Μάγος | magician, and derogatorily sorcerer, trickster,... |
| 12 | Old Persian | 𐎶𐎦𐏁 | priest |
| 13 | Proto-Iranian | magúš | — |
| 14 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | magʰúš | — |
| 15 | Proto-Indo-European | megʰ-ú-s | — |
via Middle English Michelmasse
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | Michelmasse | Michaelmas |
| 2 | Middle English | michel | The Archangel Michael |
| 3 | Old French | Michel | Michael, the Archangel |
| 4 | Latin | Michāēl | — |
| 5 | Latin | Michahel | — |
| 6 | Greek | Μιχαήλ | the Archangel Michael |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | Μιχαήλ | — |
| 8 | Hebrew | מיכאל | who is like God? |
| 9 | Hebrew | אֵל | a God; God, deity; god, God |
| 10 | Hebrew | שמואל | — |
| 11 | Hebrew | שְׁמוּאֵל | — |