Etymology Explorer › Middle French

Where does “mere” come from?

mere (Middle French) comes from Old French mere, from Old French medre, from Latin māter, from Ancient Greek ἄρχω, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ergʰ- — to begin; to command, rule; to begin, rule,...

mere (Middle French): mother

Definitions

  1. mother

Ancestry of “mere”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchmeremother
2Old FrenchmedreAlternative form of mere
3Latinmāter—
4Ancient GreekἄρχωTo begin; To lead, rule, govern, command; To be...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ergʰ-to begin; to command, rule; to begin, rule,...

Words derived from “mere”

  • mère-grand
  • mère
  • belle-mère
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ergʰ- →