Where does “mädchenhaft” come from?

mädchenhaft (German) comes from German Mädchen, 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.

mädchenhaft (German): girlish, maidenly

Definitions

  1. girlish, maidenly

Ancestry of “mädchenhaft”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanMädchengirl; maiden
2GermanMagdmaid; female servant, especially on a farm; girl;...
3Middle High Germanmagetvirgin
4Old High Germanmagadmaiden
5Proto-West Germanicmagaþgirl
6Proto-Germanicmagaþsmaiden, girl; virgin
7Proto-Indo-Europeanmogʰusboy; young person; boy-servant?; young person
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mogʰusEvery word from Proto-Germanic magaþsEvery word from Proto-West Germanic magaþ