magh- / Indo-European roots

Examples of words with the root magh-: dismay, machine, magus, main, may, mechanic, might.

magh-

To be able, have power.

▲ Derivatives include dismay, might1, machine, magic.

1.
a. may1 from Old English magan, to be able;
b. dismay from Old French esmaier, to frighten. Both a and b from Germanic *magan, to be able.
2. might1 from Old English miht, power, from Germanic suffixed form *mah-ti-, power.
3. main from Old English mægen, power, from Germanic suffixed form *mag-inam, power.
4. Suffixed lengthened-grade form *māgh-anā-, "that which enables" machine, mechanic, mechanism, mechano-; deus ex machina from Greek (Attic) mēkhanē, (Doric) mākhanā, device.
5. Possibly suffixed form *magh-u-. magic, magus from Old Persian maguš, member of a priestly caste (< "mighty one").

[Pokorny magh- 695.]


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