Where does “mermayde” come from?
mermayde (Middle English) comes from Middle English mere, from Old English mere, from Old English byriġ, from Old English burh, from Old English burg, from Proto-Germanic burgz, from Proto-Indo-European bʰr̥ǵʰ-.
mermayde (Middle English): mermaid
Definitions
- mermaid
Ancestry of “mermayde”, step by step
mermayde traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English mere
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | mere | mare; mother; sea, lake |
| 2 | Old English | mere | lake; pool; sea |
| 3 | Old English | byriġ | — |
| 4 | Old English | burh | Alternative form of burg; fortress; hill |
| 5 | Old English | burg | city; town; a fortified place: stronghold, fort,... |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | burgz | fortification, stronghold; city |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰr̥ǵʰ- | — |
via Middle English maid
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | maid | — |