Where does “maypole” come from?
maypole (English) comes from English May, from French mai, from Old French mai, from Latin Māius, from Latin Maia, from Ancient Greek μαῖα, from Ancient Greek μήτηρ, from Proto-Hellenic mā́tēr — mother.
maypole (English): A pole, garlanded with streamers held by people who dance around it to celebrate May Day
Definitions
- A pole, garlanded with streamers held by people who dance around it to celebrate May Day
Ancestry of “maypole”, step by step
maypole traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English May
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | May | The fifth month of the Gregorian calendar, following April and preceding June |
| 2 | French | mai | May |
| 3 | Old French | mai | — |
| 4 | Latin | Māius | “month”}} of May |
| 5 | Latin | Maia | nominative feminine singular of Maius; nominative... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | μαῖα | midwife; foster mother, nurse; good mother, dame |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | μήτηρ | mother; source or origin |
| 8 | Proto-Hellenic | mā́tēr | mother |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | méh₂tēr | mother |
via English Pole
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Pole | A person from Poland or of Polish descent |
| 2 | Middle English | pole | pole, stake, staff |
| 3 | Old French | poule | hen |
| 4 | Vulgar Latin | pulla | nominative feminine singular of pullus;... |
| 5 | Latin | pullus | A young animal; darling; dark-colored; dusky |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | polHwós | pale, gray |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pelH- | pale, gray |