möglich

Forms

möglich (strong nominative masculine singular möglicher, not comparable)^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle High German müglich, also mügelich, formed from German mögen + -lich in the old sense of the verb, “to be able”.^[2][3][1] Kluge compares the way the phrases for “it can be” and “it is possible” match.^[2] The Grimms' dictionary derived it rather from an old feminine noun meaning “power, ability”, so that it first meant “according to one's power”; it found no Old High German form.^[4] The same formation is Middle Low German mogelik and Middle Dutch moghelick, whence Dutch mogelijk.^[4][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The word is recorded from the 13th century.^[2][5] The Middle High German adverb mügelīche “possibly, deservedly, according to one's means” is found in the Laubach Barlaam before 1200.^[6] Middle High German müg(e)lich meant “what can happen”, but also “what is right and fitting, proper”.^[3][5]

Semantic evolution

In Middle High German, Middle Low German and Middle Dutch alike the word also meant “just, fair, proper”, a sense that the Bremen dictionary still recorded for Low German in the 18th century.^[4] The Early New High German dictionary lists the senses “within one's power, feasible”, “conceivable”, “lawful” and “fitting”.^[7] Standard German kept only “feasible” and “conceivable”; the Grimms suspected from the use of Möglichkeit that in the 17th century it could still be said of persons, “powerful, wealthy”.^[4]

The abstract noun Möglichkeit, Middle High German mügelicheit, at first meant “ability, opportunity”.^[3][8] In colloquial German alles Mögliche has come to mean “all sorts of things”.^[9][1]

Timeline

• Before 1200 – The adverb mügelīche is used in the Laubach Barlaam.^[6]
• 13th century – The adjective is recorded.^[2]
• 18th century – Low German mögelik still means “fair, permitted”.^[4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. possible, that can be done or achieved: es war nicht möglich, den Zug zu erreichen.^[9][1]
2. Conceivable, potential: ein möglicher Käufer.^[9][1]
3. (colloquial) In alles Mögliche: all sorts of things, a great many things.^[9][1]

Word family

• Möglichkeit
• möglichst
• möglicherweise
• unmöglich
• ermöglichen
• womöglich
• bestmöglich

Related words

• vermögen
• Macht

Usage notes

So bald wie möglich “as soon as possible” and sein Möglichstes tun “to do one's utmost” are common phrases.^[9]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Kluge, Friedrich; Seebold, Elmar (2011), Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, 25th ed., Berlin / Boston: De Gruyter, p. 630
3. ^ a b c Pfeifer, Wolfgang, et al. (1993), Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Deutschen, 2nd ed., Berlin: Akademie-Verlag; digital revised version in the DWDS, dwds.de
4. ^ a b c d e Grimm, Jacob; Grimm, Wilhelm (1854–1961), Deutsches Wörterbuch, 16 vols. in 32, Leipzig: Hirzel; digital: Wörterbuchnetz, Trier Center for Digital Humanities, p. 12, 2464
5. ^ a b Wiktionary, das freie Wörterbuch (German Wiktionary), de.wiktionary.org
6. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Mittelhochdeutsches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling
7. ^ Anderson, Robert R.; Goebel, Ulrich; Reichmann, Oskar, eds. (1989–), Frühneuhochdeutsches Wörterbuch, Berlin / New York: De Gruyter; FWB-online, fwb-online.de
8. ^ Duden. Das Herkunftswörterbuch: Etymologie der deutschen Sprache (2020), 6th ed., Duden vol. 7, Berlin: Dudenverlag, p. 561
9. ^ a b c d e Duden. Das große Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache in zehn Bänden (1999), 3rd ed., Mannheim: Dudenverlag