Where does “mager” come from?
mager (Middle High German) comes from Old High German magar, from Old Norse mágr, from Proto-Germanic magraz, from Proto-Indo-European mh₂ḱrós, from Proto-Indo-European meh₂ḱ- — to raise, increase; long.
Ancestry of “mager”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old High German | magar | thin; meager |
| 2 | Old Norse | mágr | a male relative by marriage (kin to one’s spouse or spouse to one’s kin); son-in-law, father-in-law or brother-in-law |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | magraz | lean, meager |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | mh₂ḱrós | lean, meager |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | meh₂ḱ- | to raise, increase; long |