Etymology Explorer › German

Where does “Mike” come from?

Mike (German) comes from English Mike, from English microphone, from English phone, from English telephone, from French téléphone, from French télé-, from Ancient Greek τῆλε, from Latin commūnicāre — resin.

Ancestry of “Mike”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishMikethe letter M in the ICAO spelling alphabet
2EnglishmicrophoneA device used to convert sound waves into a...
3EnglishphoneA device for transmitting conversations and other...
4EnglishtelephoneA telecommunication device used for two-way...
5Frenchtéléphonetelephone; first-person singular present...
6Frenchtélé-tele-
7Ancient Greekτῆλεfar off, afar, far away
8Latincommūnicāre—
9Latincommūnis—
10Old Latincom(m)oinis—
11Proto-Italickommoinis—
12Proto-Indo-Europeanḱom-moy-ni-held in common
13Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
14Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
15Middle Englishkyt—
16Germankitt—
17Old High Germankuti—
18Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
19Proto-Germanickweduzresin
Every word from Proto-Germanic kweduz →