must

must · verb, noun¹

1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*mōtaną
2. Old English · inherited frommōste“had to”
3. Middle English · derived frommoten“to have to”
4. Middle English · inherited frommoste
5. English todaymust

From Middle English moste ("must", literally, "had to", the past tense of Middle English moten (“to have to”)), from Old English mōste (“had to”), 1st & 3rd person singular past tense of mōtan (“to be allowed, be able to, have the opportunity to, be compelled to, must, may”), from Proto-Germanic *mōtaną. Cognate with Dutch moest (“had to”), German musste (“had to”), Swedish måste (“must, have to, be obliged to”). More at mote.

must · noun, verb²

1. Latin · derived frommustum
2. Old French · derived frommust
3. Old English · inherited frommust
4. Middle English · inherited frommust
5. English todaymust

From Middle English must, from Old English must and Old French must, most, both from Latin mustum.

must · noun³

See musth.

Words from the same roots