Where does “man” come from?
man (Old Frisian) comes from Proto-West Germanic mann, from Proto-Germanic *mann-, from Proto-Indo-European men- — to think, mind; spiritual activity; to stay,...
Ancestry of “man”, step by step
man traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Proto-West Germanic mann
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proto-West Germanic | mann | person, human |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | *mann- | — |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | men- | to think, mind; spiritual activity; to stay,... |
via Germanic *mann
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Germanic | *mann | — |