macht

See also: Macht

Dutch

Alternative forms

• magt (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle Dutch macht, from Old Dutch *maht, from Proto-West Germanic *mahti, from Proto-Germanic *mahtiz. Equivalent to mogen (“to may, to be allowed”) +‎ -t (“verbal noun”).

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

• IPA^(key): /mɑxt/
• Hyphenation: macht
• Rhymes: -ɑxt

Noun

macht f (plural machten, diminutive machtje n)

1. political power, control

   Antonyms: onmacht, machteloosheid

2. power, might, capability

   Synonym: vermogen

3. a power in international politics

   Synonym: mogendheid

4. a military force, such as an army
5. (mathematics) power (of multiplication)
6. (Christianity) power (type of angel, ranking above archangel)

Usage notes

• Although it is a cognate to the English word "might", macht typically refers to rulership or effective power rather than physical capabilities or positive qualities. For example: in English, the phrase "a mighty king" will likely evoke the image of an effective, virtuous or strong ruler. In Dutch, however, the etymologically equivalent phrase "een machtige koning" can simply refer to a king with many resources under his control. Historically, macht referred to one's power over their body and mind. See also Kraft vs. Macht.

Derived terms

• almacht
• bemachtigen
• eendracht maakt macht
• grootmacht
• hoofdmacht
• kernmacht
• krijgsmacht
• landmacht
• legermacht
• luchtmacht
• machteloos
• machthebber
• machtig
• machtsbelust
• machtsdronken
• machtsgreep
• machtsmisbruik
• machtsovername
• machtspartij
• machtspolitiek
• machtssfeer
• machtsstrijd
• machtsuitbreiding
• machtsvacuüm
• machtsverdeling
• machtsverheffen
• machtsverhouding
• machtsvertoon
• machtswellust
• onmacht
• oppermacht
• overmacht
• politiemacht
• scheiding der machten
• strijdmacht
• supermacht
• tegenmacht
• troepenmacht
• volmacht
• vredesmacht
• zeemacht

Descendants

• Afrikaans: mag
• Negerhollands: macht, magt
• Skepi Creole Dutch: makt
• → Aukan: makiti
• → Caribbean Javanese: makti

German

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [maxt]

• Audio:

  (file)

Verb

macht

1. third-person singular present of machen

   Der Künstler macht ein Bild.

   The artist creates a picture.

2. inflection of machen:
   1. second-person plural present
   2. plural imperative

Irish

Etymology

From Middle Irish machtaid (“to slaughter”), from Latin mactō (“to punish, sacrifice”).

The noun is derived from the verb.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mˠaxt̪ˠ/

Verb

macht (present analytic machtann, future analytic machtfaidh, verbal noun machtadh, past participle machta)

1. (literary) to kill, slaughter

Conjugation

Conjugation of macht (first conjugation – A)

indicative	singular			plural			direct relative	autonomous
	first	second	third	first	second	third
present	machtaim	machtann tú; machtair†	machtann sé, sí	machtaimid; machtann muid	machtann sibh	machtann siad; machtaid†	a mhachtann; a mhachtas	machtar
past	mhacht mé; mhachtas	mhacht tú; mhachtais	mhacht sé, sí	mhachtamar; mhacht muid	mhacht sibh; mhachtabhair	mhacht siad; mhachtadar	a mhacht	machtadh
past habitual	mhachtainn / machtainn‡	mhachtá / machtá‡	mhachtadh sé, sí / machtadh sé, sí‡	mhachtaimis; mhachtadh muid / machtaimis‡; machtadh muid‡	mhachtadh sibh / machtadh sibh‡	mhachtaidís; mhachtadh siad / machtaidís‡; machtadh siad‡	a mhachtadh	mhachtaí / machtaí‡
	singular			plural			direct relative	autonomous
	first	second	third	first	second	third
future	machtfaidh mé; machtfad	machtfaidh tú; machtfair†	machtfaidh sé, sí	machtfaimid; machtfaidh muid	machtfaidh sibh	machtfaidh siad; machtfaid†	a mhachtfaidh; a mhachtfas	machtfar
conditional	mhachtfainn / machtfainn‡	mhachtfá / machtfá‡	mhachtfadh sé, sí / machtfadh sé, sí‡	mhachtfaimis; mhachtfadh muid / machtfaimis‡; machtfadh muid‡	mhachtfadh sibh / machtfadh sibh‡	mhachtfaidís; mhachtfadh siad / machtfaidís‡; machtfadh siad‡	a mhachtfadh	mhachtfaí / machtfaí‡
subjunctive	singular			plural			direct relative	autonomous
	first	second	third	first	second	third
present	go machta mé; go machtad†	go machta tú; go machtair†	go machta sé, sí	go machtaimid; go machta muid	go machta sibh	go machta siad; go machtaid†	—	go machtar
past	dá machtainn	dá machtá	dá machtadh sé, sí	dá machtaimis; dá machtadh muid	dá machtadh sibh	dá machtaidís; dá machtadh siad	—	dá machtaí
imperative	singular			plural			direct relative	autonomous
	first	second	third	first	second	third
—	machtaim	macht	machtadh sé, sí	machtaimis	machtaigí; machtaidh†	machtaidís	—	machtar
past participle	machta
verbal noun	machtadh

^† archaic or dialect form
^‡ dependent form

Noun

macht

1. (obsolete) death

Descendants

• → Yola: macht

Further reading

• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1927), “maċt; maċtaim”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 2nd edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 693; reprinted with additions 1996, →ISBN
• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “macht”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN

Yola

Etymology

Borrowed from now obsolete Irish macht (“death, destruction”), from Middle Irish macht, from machtaid (“to slaughter”), from Latin mactō (“to punish, sacrifice”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mɑkt/

Noun

macht

1. depression

Further reading

• Diarmaid Ó Muirithe (1990), “A Modern Glossary of the Dialect of Forth and Bargy”, in lrish University Review‎^[1], volume 20, number 1, Edinburgh University Press, page 159