master

master · noun, adjective, verb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European*meǵh₂-
2. Proto-Indo-European*meh₂-
3. Proto-Italic*magisteros
4. Latinmagister, magistrum
5. Old Frenchmaistre
6. Latinmagister
7. Old Englishmǣġester
8. Middle Englishmaister
9. English todaymaster

From Middle English maister, mayster, meister (noun) and maistren (verb), from Old English mǣster, mæġster, mæġester, mæġister, magister (“master”), from Latin magister (“chief, teacher, leader”), from Old Latin magester, from Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s (as in magnus (“great”), also cognate of English much and mickle) + -ester/-ister (compare minister (“servant”)). Reinforced by Old French maistre, mestre (noun) and maistriier, maister (verb) from the same Latin source. Compare also Saterland Frisian Mäster (“master”), West Frisian master (“master”), Dutch meester (“master”), German Meister (“master”). Doublet of maestro, magister, and meister.

master · noun²

From mast + -er.

Words from the same roots