mæþ

mæþ¹ measure, degree, what is fitting

Pronunciation

• /mæːθ/^[1]

Forms

mǣþ f (strong ō-stem; genitive singular mǣþe, nominative plural mǣþa)^[1]

Etymology

The noun meaning measure is inherited from Proto-West Germanic *māþi, from Proto-Germanic *mēþiz (“measure”).^[1][2] Kroonen reconstructs it as Proto-Indo-European *méh₁-ti-, and Orel too derives it from the root meaning to measure and sets it beside Ancient Greek μῆτις (mêtis, “counsel”) and Albanian mot (“time”).^[2][3] Holthausen compares Latin mētior (“to measure”) and Lithuanian metas (“year, time”).^[4] Köbler sets the root as Proto-Indo-European *mē- (“to measure”).^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first dated record is in the Pastoral Care of 890×897 (Hatton 20): ðeah we nu ofer ure mæð ðencen & smeagean, “though we now think and ponder beyond our measure”.^[6][7]

Semantic evolution

Bosworth and Toller take the senses in this order: measure, degree or proportion, as in a payment by the measure of the offence; the measure of a person's power, his ability or capacity, chiefly in sentences of the type nis ná eówer mǣþ, it is not in your power; degree, rank or condition; what is due or right; and the honour or respect due to others.^[8][9] The laws use it for proportion and rank, a fine being fixed by the offender's mǣþ.^[10] The word lived on into Middle English as methe.^[9]

Timeline

• 890×897 – ofer ure mæð “beyond our measure” in the Pastoral Care.^[6][7]
• s. x med. – be þæs andgites mæð “by the measure of the understanding” in the Old English Boethius.^[11][7][8]
• s. x ex. – nis na eower mæð to witenne þone timan “it is not for you to know the time”, in Ælfric's Catholic Homilies I.^[12][7][8]

Meanings

Noun

1. measure, degree, proportion.^[8][5]
2. the measure of one's power: ability, capacity; efficacy.^[8]
3. degree, rank, condition.^[8][10]
4. due measure, what is right or fitting.^[8]
5. honour, respect shown to others.^[8][5]

Word family

• mǣþlēas
• mǣþlīċ
• mǣþlīċe
• unmǣþ
• hyġemǣþ
• mǣþian

Descendants

• Middle English methe^[9]

mæþ² mowing, hay harvest

Forms

mǣþ n^[1]

Etymology

The noun meaning mowing is inherited from Proto-Germanic *mēþą (“mowing, mown grass”).^[1][2] Kroonen explains it as a noun made with the suffix ⟨-to-⟩ to the strong verb Proto-Germanic *mēaną (“to mow”), the source of māwan, and reconstructs Proto-Indo-European *h₂méh₁-to-; the same noun is Old Frisian -mēth and Old High German āmād (“aftermath”).^[2][13] Holthausen adds Latin metō (“to reap”) and Old Irish methel (“band of reapers”).^[4] Köbler too derives it from the root meaning to mow, and Wiktionary analyses it as from Old English māwan + -þ.^[14][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The word is rare.^[7] The revised Gregory's Dialogues in a manuscript of the first half of the eleventh century (Hatton 76) has Nu is lytel to lafe þyses mæðes, “now little is left of this mowing”, said of green grass being cut for horses.^[15][7][9] A charter of 880 for 887, surviving in an eleventh-century cartulary copy, names mæð lond, land to be mown.^[16][7]

Semantic evolution

Bosworth and Toller quote a charter that frees an estate from all service except two days' work a year, one at the hay harvest (tō mǣþe) and one at the corn harvest.^[8] In Middle English math survives only in compounds and place names, such as the payment for haymaking.^[17] It is the second element of English aftermath, first recorded in the 1520s for a second crop of grass.^[18]

Timeline

• s. xi¹ – þyses mæðes “of this mowing” in the revised Gregory's Dialogues (Hatton 76).^[15][7]
• s. xi¹ – mæð lond in the bounds of a grant of 880 for 887, in a cartulary copy.^[16][7]
• s. xi² – mæð landes in the bounds of Salwarpe, Worcestershire.^[19][7]

Meanings

Noun

1. mowing, the hay harvest; also the grass mown.^[8][9][14]

Word family

• mǣþmēd

Descendants

• Middle English math (→ English math; English aftermath)^[1]