Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/maþô

This Proto-Germanic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Germanic

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *mat-ḗn ~ *mat-nés, from *mat- (“insect, worm, maggot”), possibly borrowed from a substrate language. Compare Proto-Slavic *motyľь (“butterfly”), Sanskrit मत्कुण (matkuṇa, “bug”). Possibly also related to Proto-Finnic *mato (“worm”) (akin to Proto-Samic *muocē), in which case it would be a borrowing in either direction (although seeing as the Finnic term has a convincing Indo-Iranian etymology, a borrowing from Finnic into Germanic appears more likely).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɑ.θɔːː/

Noun

*maþô m

1. maggot, worm

   Synonym: *wurmiz

2. moth

Inflection

Kroonen states that this term is an amphikinetically inflecting an-stem with Kluge's Law consonant alternations.

masculine an-stemDeclension of *maþô (masculine an-stem)
	singular	plural
nominative	*maþô	*maþaniz
vocative	*maþô	*maþaniz
accusative	*maþanų	*muttunz
genitive	*muttaz	*muttǫ̂
dative	*madini	*madummaz
instrumental	*muttē	*madummiz

Derived terms

• *maþikô

Descendants

• Proto-West Germanic: *maþō (“worm”)
  • Old English: maþa
    • Middle English: mathe
      • Scots: mathe, maith, maithe, meath, meith
      • English: mad, made
  • Old Saxon: matho
    • Middle Low German: made
  • Old Dutch: *matho
    • Middle Dutch: māde
      • Dutch: made
  • Old High German: mado
    • Middle High German: made
      • German: Made
      • Luxembourgish: Mued
• Proto-West Germanic: *moþþā (“moth”)
  • Old English: moþþe
    • Middle English: mothe
      • English: moth
      • Scots: moch
  • Old Saxon: *motta
    • Middle Low German: motte
      • Low German: Mutten, Motten
      • → German: Motte
  • Old Dutch: *motta
    • Middle Dutch: motte
      • Dutch: mot
• Gothic: 𐌼𐌰𐌸𐌰 (maþa, “maggot”)