Etymology Explorer › Old English

Where does “mōtan” come from?

mōtan (Old English) comes from Proto-West Germanic *mōtan, from Proto-Germanic mōtaną, from Proto-Indo-European mōd-, from Proto-Indo-European med- — to measure; to give advice; healing.

mōtan (Old English): to be allowed, be able to, have the opportunity...

Definitions

  1. to be allowed, be able to, have the opportunity...

Ancestry of “mōtan”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-West Germanic*mōtan—
2Proto-Germanicmōtanąto be allowed, to be permitted to, may
3Proto-Indo-Europeanmōd-to permit, make able
4Proto-Indo-Europeanmed-to measure; to give advice; healing

Words derived from “mōtan”

  • mostly
  • musty
  • mustiness
  • mostest
  • mustn't
  • mustily
  • moastly
  • mustest
  • mostwhat
  • mostness
  • mustied
  • mustn't've
  • must-see
  • must-read
  • must-learn
  • must-buy
  • мастдай
  • must
  • must
  • moste
  • moten
  • mōste
  • mas
  • most
Every word from Proto-Indo-European med- →