Page:An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language.djvu/246

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‘neck’ merely; in OTeut. occurs a derivative signifying ‘necklace’; comp. OIc. men, AS. męne, OSax. męni, OHG. męnni, n., ‘necklace.’ To these are allied, in the non-Teut. languages, Lat. monile, ‘necklace, collar,’ Dor. μάννος, μάνος, μόννος, ‘necklace,’ Kelt. μανιάκης, equiv. to OIr. muince, ‘necklace,’ Sans. mani, m., ‘string of pearls.’ An OInd. *manâ, f., ‘neck,’ is wanting, though manyâ, f., ‘nape,’ occurs. Further, OIr. muin, muinél, ‘nape,’ mong, ‘hair, mane,’ with which Swed. and Dan. manke, mentioned above, is closely connected.

mahnen, vb., ‘to warn, admonish,’ from MidHG. manen, OHG. manôn, manên, ‘to remind, warn, challenge’; corresponding to OSax. manôn, AS. manian, ‘to. warn’; a derivative of the Aryan root mon, men, widely diffused in OTeut., to which are allied the Goth. pret. pres. munan, ‘to be of opinion,’ Lat. memini, reminiscor, men-s (men-te-m), Gr. μένος, μιμνήσκω, and the Sans. root man, ‘to think’ (see Mann, meinen, and Minne). To OHG. manên (with the variant monên), Lat. monêre, ‘to warn,’ with ŏ equiv. to Teut. a (as in Lat. molere, Goth. and OHG. malan), which is likewise formed from the root men, is most closely allied in sound and meaning.

Mahr, m., from the equiv. MidHG. mar, mare, m. and f., ‘incubus, nightmare,’ OHG. mara, f.; comp. AS. mara, m., E. mare in nightmare, OIc. mara, f., ‘incubus.’ The derivation from Goth. marzjan, ‘to vex,’ OHG. marren, męrren, ‘to hinder, disturb,’ is scarcely possible. Some etymologists connect the word with Slav.-Russ. kikimora, ‘ghost,’ Pol. mora, Bohem. můro, ‘nightmare.’ From Mahr, Fr. cauchemar, ‘nightmare,’ has also been derived (caucher, from Ital. calcare, ‘to tread, press’).

Mähre, f., from the equiv. MidHG. męrhe, OHG. męriha, marha, f., ‘mare’; fem. of the OHG. marah, marh, ‘horse,’ discussed under Marschall; comp. AS. mýre, E. mare, Du. merrie, OIc. merr, pointing to a Goth. *marhi (gen. *marhjôs). In G. the fem. form has been preserved longer than the masc., on which it is based (comp. Frau, Magd, and Schwieger).

Mai, m., from the equiv. MidHG. meie, OHG. meio, m., ‘May.’ Borrowed from Lat. Mâjus (comp. Ital. maggio, Fr. mai), ‘May,’ at the same period as August, März, and Jänner (old form for Januar).

Maid, f., ‘maid, servant,’ from MidHG. meit. See Magd.

Maie, m., ‘green boughs for adornment,’ from late MidHG. meie, m., ‘birch tree,’ whence Ital. majo, Fr. mai, ‘green boughs, maypole’; identical with Mai.

Mais, n., ‘maize,’ ModHG. only, a recent word in the ModEurop. languages, of American origin (mahis in Hayti); comp. Fr. mais, E. maize, and Span. maiz. Columbus is said to have imported the corn and its name.

Maische, see Meische.

Majoran, m., ‘marjoram,’ in MidHG. meigramme, m., and also meiron, meieron, ‘marjoram.’ From MidLat. majorana; the MidHG. words seem to be based in sound on meie, ‘May.’ Comp. Ital. majorana, Fr. marjolaine, E. marjoram; the last two have also been corrupted?. The ultimate source of the- word is Gr. ἁμάρακον, whence Lat. amaracus and majoracus (based on major).

Makel, m., ‘stain, blot,’ from late MidHG. mâkel, m., which was borrowed from Lat. macula, ‘spot.’

mäkeln, makeln, vb., ‘to transact business as a broker,’ ModHG. only; from the equiv. LG. mäkeln, Du. makelen, which are allied to maken, ‘to make’ (handeln also combines the meanings ‘to make’ and ‘to traffic’). Fr. maquereau (whence E. mackerel), ‘pimp,’ is said to be derived from these cognates on account of OHG. huormahhâri, ‘pimp.’

Makrele, f., ‘mackerel,’ from late MidHG. makrêle, f.; borrowed from the equiv. Du. makreel (comp. E. mackerel), which is of Rom. origin; MidLat. macarellus, maquerellus, OFr. maguerel, ModFr. maquereau.

Mal (1.), n., ‘mark, spot,’ from MidHG. mâl, n., ‘spot,’ OHG. *mâl in the compound anamâli, ‘spot, car’; identical with MidHG. and OHG. mâl, ‘period, point’; see mal (2). Its primit. kinship with Goth. mail, n., ‘spot,’ is uncertain, yet Mal has at all events assumed the meaning of Goth. mail, which is normally represented by OHG. and MidHG. meil, n.; to this corresponds AS. mâl, whence E. mole. Goth. mél, ‘time,’ points to the Aryan root mē̆, ‘to measure’ (Gr. μέτρον, Lat. mêtîri).

-mal (2.), suffix of the multiplicatives and temporal advs. (also a noun); it is based on MidHG. and OHG. mâl, ‘period’