Where does “meed” come from?
Meed comes from Middle English meede, from Old English medu, from Proto-Germanic meduz, from Proto-Indo-European médʰu, derived from the root dʰeh₁-.
meed (English): A payment or recompense made for services...
Definitions
- A payment or recompense made for services...
Ancestry of “meed”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | meede | — |
| 2 | Old English | mēd | reward, meed, recompense |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | miʀdu | reward |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | mizdō | reward |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | misdʰós | reward, prize; wages, payment |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | mēy- | soft, tender, dear |