Where does “men” come from?
Men is the plural of man, descending through Middle English mon from Proto-Germanic mann-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European men-, meaning "to think" or "mind."
men (English): plural of man; people, humanity; enlisted...
Definitions
- plural of man; people, humanity; enlisted...
Ancestry of “men”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | men | Alternative form of man; plural of mon |
| 2 | Old English | menn | plural of mann; men, persons, human beings;... |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | manniz | nominative/vocative plural of *mann- |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | mann- | human, human being, person, individual; name of... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | men- | to think, mind; spiritual activity; to stay,... |