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 (do something); must; to be obliged (to do something); to need (to do something)
Definitions
- to have to (do something); must; to be obliged (to do something); to need (to do something)
Ancestry of “müssen”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle High German | müeȥen | must |
| 2 | Old High German | muoȥan | — |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | *mōtan | to be allowed, to be permitted to, may |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | mōtaną | to be allowed, to be permitted to, may |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | mōd- | to permit, make able |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | med- | to measure; to give advice; healing |