Where does “matter” come from?
matter (French) comes from French mater, from Middle French macter, from Old French macter, from Latin mactō, from Latin mactus, from Proto-Italic maktos, from Proto-Indo-European mh₂ḱtós, from Proto-Indo-European meh₂ḱ- — to raise, increase; long.
matter (French): Alternative spelling of mater
Definitions
- Alternative spelling of mater
Ancestry of “matter”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | mater | to checkmate; to suppress, quell; to ogle, to... |
| 2 | Middle French | macter | to kill; to immolate |
| 3 | Old French | macter | to kill; to immolate |
| 4 | Latin | mactō | to reward, honor |
| 5 | Latin | mactus | glorified, worshiped, honored, adored |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | maktos | glorified, worshiped, honored, adored |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | mh₂ḱtós | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | meh₂ḱ- | to raise, increase; long |