Etymology Explorer › German

Where does “müssen” come from?

müssen (German) comes from Middle High German müeȥen, from Old High German muoȥan, from Proto-West Germanic *mōtan, from Proto-Germanic mōtaną, from Proto-Indo-European mōd-, from Proto-Indo-European med- — to measure; to give advice; healing.

müssen (German): to have to ; must; to be obliged ; to need; to...

Definitions

  1. to have to ; must; to be obliged ; to need; to...

Ancestry of “müssen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle High Germanmüeȥen—
2Old High Germanmuoȥan—
3Proto-West Germanic*mōtan—
4Proto-Germanicmōtanąto be allowed, to be permitted to, may
5Proto-Indo-Europeanmōd-to permit, make able
6Proto-Indo-Europeanmed-to measure; to give advice; healing

Words derived from “müssen”

  • mustar
Every word from Proto-Indo-European med- →