dismay

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*megʰ-“to be able”
2. Proto-Germanic · derived from*maginą
3. Vulgar Latin · derived from*exmagare“to deprive (someone) of strength, to disable”
4. Old French · derived fromesmaier“to frighten”
5. Anglo-Norman · derived from*desmaiier
6. Middle English · inherited fromdismayen
7. English todaydismay

From Middle English dismayen, from Anglo-Norman *desmaiier, alteration of Old French esmaier (“to frighten”), probably from Vulgar Latin *exmagare (“to deprive (someone) of strength, to disable”), from ex- + *magare (“to enable, empower”), from Proto-Germanic *maginą, *maganą (“might, power”), from Proto-Indo-European *megʰ- (“to be able”). Akin to Old High German magan, megin (“power, might, main”), Old English mæġen (“might, main”), Old High German magan, mugan (“to be powerful, able”), Old English magan (“to be able”). Cognate with Portuguese desmaiar (“to faint”) and Spanish esmayar. See also Portuguese esmagar, Spanish amagar. More at main, may.

Words from the same roots