mā-

I. mā-¹

Good; with derivatives meaning “occurring at a good moment, timely, seasonable, early.” Oldest form *meə₂-, colored to *maə₂-, contracted to *mā-.

1. Suffixed form *mā-tu-.

a. Further suffixed form *mā-tu-ro-. mature; immature, premature, from Latin mātūrus, seasonable, ripe, mature;

b. further suffixed form *mā-tu-to-. matinee, matins, matutinal, from Latin Mātūta, name of the goddess of dawn.

2. Suffixed form *mā-ni-.

a. mañana, from Latin māne, (in) the morning;

b. manes, from Latin mānis, mānus, good.

 

[Pokorny 2. mā- 693.]

  II. mā-²

Mother. A linguistic near-universal found in many of the world's languages, often in reduplicated form.

1. mamma², mammal, mammilla, from Latin mamma, breast.

2. Probably from this root is Greek Maia, “good mother” (respectful form of address to old women), also nurse: Maia, maieutic; maiasaur.

3. mama, more recently formed in the same way.

 

[Pokorny 3. mā 694.]

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