Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/maisǭ

This Proto-Germanic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Germanic

Etymology

Unknown; compared to Proto-Celtic *mesal-(s)kā (“blackbird”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂mes-l- (Latin merula). Or, possibly related to Norwegian Nynorsk meis (“weak”) and Flemish mijzen (“shatter”), possibly related to Proto-Germanic *maisa- (“small”), or possibly related to Dutch miezerig (“small, measly”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɑi̯.sɔ̃ː/

Noun

*maisǭ f

1. titmouse, chickadee

Inflection

ōn-stemDeclension of *maisǭ (ōn-stem)
	singular	plural
nominative	*maisǭ	*maisōniz
vocative	*maisǭ	*maisōniz
accusative	*maisōnų	*maisōnunz
genitive	*maisōniz	*maisōnǫ̂
dative	*maisōni	*maisōmaz
instrumental	*maisōnē	*maisōmiz

Derived terms

• *maisingō
  • Proto-West Germanic: *maisingu
    • Old Dutch: *mēsinga
      • Middle Dutch: mēsink
        • Dutch: mezing
  • Old Norse: meisingr
  • → Medieval Latin: misinga, mesenga, masance, *mesengra [10th c.] (possibly < Old Norse meisingr)
    • Old French: mesenge, masenge, mesange, masange
      • Middle French: mesange, mésange
        • French: mésange
      • Picard: masaingue, (Rouchi) masínque
      • Walloon: masenge
      (12th c.)
    • Old Occitan: mesenga
      • Catalan: mallerenga
      • Occitan: mesenga
    • Galician: meixengra

Descendants

• Proto-West Germanic: *maisā
  • Old English: māse
    • Middle English: mose
      • ⇒ Middle English: titmose
        • English: titmouse
  • Old Frisian: *māse, *mēse
    • ⇒ Old Frisian: *mēske (diminutive)
      • Saterland Frisian: Meeske
      • West Frisian: mieske
  • Old Saxon: mēsa
    • Middle Low German: mêse, meise
      • Dutch Low Saxon: meesje
      • German Low German: Meesch

        Altmärkisch, Low Prussian: Mêsk

        Dortmunisch: Mêəseken

        Low Prussian: Mêske, Möske, Mösk

        Westphalian:

        Bentheimisch: Mêse

        East Westphalian (Lippisch), Westmünsterländisch: Meese

        East Westphalian (Wedemarkisch): Meise

      • → Norwegian: meis
      • → Swedish: mes
      • → Danish: mejse
  • Old Dutch: *mēsa
    • Middle Dutch: mese, meese
      • Dutch: mees
  • Old High German: meisa
    • Middle High German: meise
      • Bavarian: Meisn
      • German: Meise
      • Luxembourgish: Mees

References

• Etymologie Bank - "mees"