miht

Old English

Alternative forms

• mæht — Anglian, Kentish
• meht — Anglian, Kentish
• maht, meaht, mieht, myht

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *mahti, from Proto-Germanic *mahtiz, *mahtuz (“might, power”), from Proto-Indo-European *mógʰtis, *megʰ- (“to allow, be able, help”). Cognates include Old Frisian macht, mecht (West Frisian macht), Middle Dutch macht (Dutch macht), Old High German maht (German Macht), Old Norse máttr (Icelandic máttur), Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐌷𐍄𐍃 (mahts).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mixt/, [miçt]

Noun

miht f

1. power, ability
   • c. 992, Ælfric, "The Passion of the Apostles Peter and Paul"

     Nero cwæð, "Ne ondrætst ðu ðe, Petrus, Simones mihta, ðe mid wundrum his godcundnysse geswutelað?"

     Nero said, "Fearest thou not, Peter, the powers of Simon, who manifests to thee his divinity by miracles?"

   • c. 992, Ælfric, "The Assumption of St. John the Apostle"

     Iohannes þa gegaderode ðæra gymstana bricas, and beseah to heofonum, þus cweðende, "Drihten Hælend, nis ðe nan ðing earfoðe; þu ge-edstaðelodest ðisne tobrocenan middangeard on þinum geleaffullum, þurh tácen þære halgan rode; ge-edstaðela nu þas deorwurðan gymstanas, ðurh ðinra engla handa, þæt ðas nytenan menn þine mihta oncnáwon, and on þe gelyfon."

     John then gathered the fragments of the jewels, and looked to heaven, thus saying, "Lord Jesus, to thee no thing is difficult; thou didst restore this crushed world for thy faithful, through sign of the holy rood; restore now these precious gems, by thy angels' hands, that these ignorant men may acknowledge thy powers, and in thee believe."

2. strength, power
3. virtue
   • late 10th century, Ælfric, "Memory of the Saints"

     Seo seofoðe miht is seo soðe lufu to gode þæt we on godum weorcum godes lufe cepon...

     The seventh Virtue is true Love to God, that we in good works seek after God's love...

Declension

Declension of miht (strong i-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	miht	mihte, mihta
accusative	miht, mihte	mihte, mihta
genitive	mihte	mihta
dative	mihte	mihtum

Derived terms

• ælmiht
• mihtig
• mihtlēas
• mihtlīċ

Descendants

• Middle English: myght, maught, myghte, might
  • Scots: maucht, micht
  • English: might

Adjective

miht

1. mighty, powerful
2. possible