mighty
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Pronunciation
- IPA: /ˈmaɪti/ (UK); /ˈmaɪti/ (US)[1]
Etymology
It is inherited from Old English mihtig (“mighty, powerful”), earlier mæhtig,[2][3] from Proto-Germanic *mahtiga-,[2] formed from miht, might, and -ig, -y.[3][4] Its cognates include Old Saxon mahtig, Dutch machtig and German mächtig.[2]
Earliest recorded meaning
Possessed of might, said of God, rulers and nations, and of persons with physical or mental strength: about 825.[5]
Semantic evolution
Of drugs, liquors or spells, potent, it is from about 1000,[5] and of things or forces from about 1250.[5] Of persons powerful through wealth or position it is from about 1375.[5] As an adverb, very, exceedingly, it is from about 1300 and is now colloquial.[2][6] Might itself was an adjective in Old and Middle English, powerful, great,[2] and Middle English had a verb mighten, to strengthen.[2]
Timeline
- c. 825 – powerful.[5]
- c. 1000 – of drugs, potent.[5]
- c. 1300 – the adverb.[2]
- c. 1375 – of wealthy persons.[5]
Modern meaning
Adjective
- Having or showing great power, strength or force.
- Very large or impressive: a mighty river.
Adverb
- (informal) Very; extremely: mighty glad.
Word family
- mightiness
- mightily
- overmighty
- high and mighty
Related words
References
- ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
- ^ a b c d e f g Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
- ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
- ^ Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- ^ a b c d e f g Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
- ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin