Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “mayde” come from?

mayde (Middle English) comes from English maiden, from Middle English mayden, from Old English mægden, from Proto-West Germanic magadīn, from Proto-West Germanic -īn, from Proto-Germanic -īnaz, from Proto-Indo-European -iHnos, from Proto-Indo-European -no- — adjectival suffix.

mayde (Middle English): young woman

Definitions

  1. young woman

Ancestry of “mayde”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmaidenA girl or an unmarried young woman; A female...
2Middle Englishmayden—
3Old Englishmægdengirl; virgin, young unmarried woman
4Proto-West Germanicmagadīnlittle girl
5Proto-West Germanic-īnCreates adjectives from nouns with the sense...
6Proto-Germanic-īnaz-en
7Proto-Indo-European-iHnosCreates adjectives of materials
8Proto-Indo-European-no-adjectival suffix

Words derived from “mayde”

  • maid
  • housemaid
  • handmaid
  • chambermaid
  • bridesmaid
  • maidservant
  • barmaid
  • handmaiden
  • nursemaid
  • milkmaid
  • dairymaid
  • parlourmaid
  • kitchenmaid
  • maidish
  • bondmaid
  • parlormaid
  • nurserymaid
  • cookmaid
  • bridemaid
  • laundrymaid
  • underhousemaid
  • chambermaiding
  • seamaid
  • maidless
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -no- →