Where does “Mädchen” come from?
Mädchen (German) comes from German Magd, from Middle High German maget, from Old High German magad, from Proto-West Germanic magaþ, from Proto-Germanic magaþs, from Proto-Indo-European mogʰus — boy; young person; boy-servant?; young person.
Mädchen (German): girl; maiden
Ancestry of “Mädchen”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | German | Magd | maid; female servant, especially on a farm; girl;... |
| 2 | Middle High German | maget | — |
| 3 | Old High German | magad | maiden |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | magaþ | girl |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | magaþs | maiden, girl; virgin |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | mogʰus | boy; young person; boy-servant?; young person |
Words derived from “Mädchen”