Where does “mare” come from?
mare (Middle English) comes from Old English mare, from Proto-West Germanic marā, from Proto-Germanic marǭ, from Proto-Indo-European mor-, from Proto-Indo-European mer- — to die; to disappear; sea, lake, wetland.
mare (Middle English): A horse member of the species
Definitions
- A horse member of the species
Ancestry of “mare”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | mare | mare (evil spirit thought to torment people in their sleep) |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | marā | evil spirit, nightmare |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | marǭ | evil spirit; succubus; incubus; nightmare |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | mor- | to blacken, to dirty; dirt spot; to rub, pound,... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | mer- | to die; to disappear; sea, lake, wetland |