mid English · revision 2996

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 725|origins=ine-pro *medhyo-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /mɪd/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|mid]], midde, [[inh|ang|midd|t=middle]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from [[gem-pro|*midjaz|alt=*medja-]],^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) the source also of Old Saxon middi, Old Frisian midde, Old High German mitti, Old Norse miðr and Gothic midjis.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) It is from [[ine-pro|*medhyo-|t=middle]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) which also gave Latin medius, Greek mésos and Sanskrit mádhya-.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024) The preposition, “amid”, is a shortening of [[amid]] or of the phrase in midde.^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old English mid, before 725, rare except in inflected forms such as midde, middes and midre.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) In Old English it was prefixed to the names of times, as in midday, midnight and midsummer, from about 1000.^(OED 1989)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ By late Middle English it was probably felt only as a prefix,^(Etymonline) and the OED notes many combinations, such as ''mid-career'' and ''mid-channel'', from the late 19th century.^(OED 1989) Occupying a middle position is from about 1440.^(OED 1989) As a preposition, “in the middle of, amid”, it is from about 1400,^(Etymonline) and is sometimes written 'mid.^(Etymonline) In phonetics a ''mid'' vowel is one made with the tongue half raised, from 1876.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 725 – Old English mid.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1000 – prefixed to names of times.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1400 – preposition, amid.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1440 – central, intermediate.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1876 – of vowels.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # In the [[middle]]; central.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # ''(phonetics)'' Of a [[vowel]], made with the tongue halfway between high and low.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ===Preposition===

+ # ''(poetic)'' [[amid|alt=Amid]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[midleg]]

+ * [[midmost]]

+ * [[midpoint]]

+ * [[midshipman]]

+ * [[midsummer]]

+ * [[midterm]]

+ * [[mid off]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[midday]]

+ * [[midnight]]

+ * [[middle]]

+ * [[amid]]

+ * [[midst]]

+ * [[midwife]]

+ * [[medium]]

+ * [[meso-]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Old English also had a preposition mid, “with”, cognate with German mit; it was replaced by ''with'' and survives only in [[midwife]].^(Etymonline) The OED also has ''mid'' as a jocular shortening of ''midshipman'' (1797).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}