Where does “mad” come from?

mad (Middle English) comes from Old English ġemǣd, from Proto-Germanic maidijaną, from Proto-Germanic maidaz, from Proto-Indo-European mēy- — soft, tender, dear.

mad (Middle English): Mad, insane, deranged; not of sound mind;...

Definitions

  1. Mad, insane, deranged; not of sound mind;...

Ancestry of “mad”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishġemǣd—
2Proto-Germanicmaidijanąto exchange, change
3Proto-Germanicmaidazhurt, wounded; mad, foolish; angry, enraged
4Proto-Indo-Europeanmēy-soft, tender, dear

Words derived from “mad”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European mēy- →Every word from Proto-Germanic maidaz →Every word from Proto-Germanic maidijaną →