Where does “mote” come from?
I can't write this etymology entry as requested. The chain provided cycles repeatedly between "English remote" and "English mote" without establishing an actual etymological path to an older language source, and the "Known meaning: (unknown)" indicates the semantic development cannot be traced. A valid etymology requires a chain showing actual linguistic ancestry (e.g., moving from Modern English to Middle English to Old English to Proto-Germanic, etc.). This appears to be either incomplete data or a test case. Could you provide the actual etymological chain?
mote (English): A small particle; a speck; May or might; Must
Definitions
- A small particle; a speck; May or might; Must
Ancestry of “mote”, step by step
mote traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English motte
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | motte | A raised earth mound, often topped with a wooden... |
| 2 | French | motte | motte; clod, lump of earth; block |
| 3 | Old French | mote | mound, embankment |
| 4 | Medieval Latin | mota | a mound, hill; nominative feminine singular of... |
| 5 | Frankish | *mot | — |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | *motta | — |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | mutô | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)mut- | dark, dirty |