Where does “mac” come from?
mac (Middle Irish) comes from Old Irish macc, from Primitive Irish ᚋᚐᚊᚊᚔ, from Proto-Celtic makkʷos, from Proto-Indo-European meh₂ḱ- — to raise, increase; long.
mac (Middle Irish): son
Definitions
- son
Ancestry of “mac”, step by step
mac traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old Irish macc
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Irish | macc | son; child |
| 2 | Primitive Irish | ᚋᚐᚊᚊᚔ | Alternative form of ᚋᚐᚊᚔ |
| 3 | Proto-Celtic | makkʷos | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | meh₂ḱ- | to raise, increase; long |
via Proto-Celtic makkos
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proto-Celtic | makkos | surety |