Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “mine” come from?

Mien comes from French mine, ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European men-, a root associated with mental states and appearance.

mine (English): My; belonging to me; that which belongs to me;...

Definitions

  1. My; belonging to me; that which belongs to me;...

Ancestry of “mine”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishmynAlternative form of min
2Old Englishmīnmy, mine
3Proto-Germanic*mīn—
4Proto-Germanicmīnazmy, mine; 1st person singular possessive
5Proto-Indo-Europeanméynosmy; mine
6Proto-Indo-Europeanmeito fix, to build fortifications or fences

Words derived from “mine”

  • mining
  • undermine
  • undermining
  • miner
  • minefield
  • minesweeper
  • coalmining
  • coalmine
  • countermine
  • minesweeping
  • mineshaft
  • miny
  • minelayer
  • minable
  • coalminer
  • mineworker
  • mineable
  • underminer
  • nonmining
  • unminable
  • postmining
  • minesite
  • minehunter
  • unmineable
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mei →