Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “man” come from?

man (Middle English) comes from Old English mān, from Sanskrit महादेव, from Sanskrit महा, from Sanskrit महायान, from Sanskrit यान, from Proto-Indo-Aryan yáHnam, from Proto-Indo-Iranian yáHnam, from Proto-Indo-European yéh₂-nom — to go; to go in, enter; to ride, to travel.

man (Middle English): Typically singular, indefinite pronoun: one, you;...

Definitions

  1. Typically singular, indefinite pronoun: one, you;...

Ancestry of “man”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishmānbad, criminal, false; shameful act; crime;...
2Sanskritमहादेव—
3Sanskritमहाcombining form of महत्; buffalo; great, large,...
4Sanskritमहायान—
5Sanskritयानcarriage, vehicle, mode of transport; moving,...
6Proto-Indo-AryanyáHnam—
7Proto-Indo-IranianyáHnam—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanyéh₂-nom—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanyeh₂-to go; to go in, enter; to ride, to travel

Words derived from “man”

  • men
  • Man
  • gentleman
  • chairman
  • Newman
  • clergyman
  • policeman
  • statesman
  • fisherman
  • nobleman
  • salesman
  • foreman
  • businessman
  • moan
  • coachman
  • moaning
  • madman
  • freshman
  • manpower
  • sportsman
  • horseman
  • footman
  • countryman
  • freemen
Every word from Proto-Indo-European yeh₂- →