mow

mow · verb, noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*h₂meh₁-“to mow, reap”
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*mēaną
3. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*māan
4. Old English · inherited frommāwan
5. Middle English · inherited frommowen
6. English todaymow

From Middle English mowen (participle mowen), from Old English māwan (past tense mēow, past participle māwen), from Proto-West Germanic *māan, from Proto-Germanic *mēaną, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂meh₁- (“to mow, reap”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian mjo (“to mow”), Dutch maaien (“to mow”), German mähen (“to mow”), Luxembourgish méien (“to mow”), Danish meje (“to mow”), Swedish meja (“to mow”); see also Hittite [script needed] (ḫamešḫa, “spring/early summer”, literally “mowing time”), Latin metō (“to harvest, mow”), Ancient Greek ἀμάω (amáō, “to mow”).

mow · noun, verb²

1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*mawwō“muff, sleeve”
2. Frankish · derived from*mauwa“pout, protruding lip”
3. Old French · derived frommoe“grimace”
4. Middle English · inherited frommowe
5. English todaymow

From Middle English mowe, from Old French moe (“grimace”), from Frankish *mauwa (“pout, protruding lip”), from Proto-Germanic *mawwō (“muff, sleeve”). Akin to Middle Dutch mouwe (“protruding lip”). Doublet of moue ("pout").

mow · noun, verb³

1. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*mūgô
2. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*mūgō
3. Old English · inherited frommūga
4. Middle English · inherited frommowe
5. English todaymow

From Middle English mowe, form Old English mūga, mūha, from Proto-West Germanic *mūgō, *mūhō, from Proto-Germanic *mūgô, *mūhō; perhaps connected to Ancient Greek μύκων (múkōn, “heap”). Cognate with Norwegian muge (“heap, crowd, flock”).

Mow · proper noun⁴

Various origins: * A variant of the surname Mao. * A variant of the surnames Mowe or Maw. * A Scottish habitational surname, from a place in the parish of Morebattle.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 14th c. A scornful grimace; a wry face.