Where does “must” come from?
Must derives from Proto-Germanic mōtaną, which traces to Proto-Indo-European med-, a root also underlying words for "measure" and "moderation."
must (English): To do with certainty; To do as a requirement;...
Definitions
- To do with certainty; To do as a requirement;...
Ancestry of “must”, step by step
must traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old English mōste
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | mōste | had to |
| 2 | Old English | mōtan | to be allowed, be able to, have the opportunity... |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | *mōtan | to be allowed, to be permitted to, may |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | mōtaną | to be allowed, to be permitted to, may |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | mōd- | to permit, make able |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | med- | to measure; to give advice; healing |