motan

motan

See also: mōtan

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *mōtaną. Cognate with Old Saxon mōtan, Middle Dutch moeten (Dutch moeten), Old High German muozan (German müssen), Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌼𐍉𐍄𐌰𐌽 (gamōtan).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmoːtɑn/

Verb

mōtan

1. to be able; may
2. (rarely) must, have to

Conjugation

Conjugation of mōtan (preterite-present)

infinitive	mōtan	tō mōtenne
indicative	present	past
1st-person singular	mōt	mōste
2nd-person singular	mōst	mōstest
3rd-person singular	mōt	mōste
plural	mōton	mōston
subjunctive	present	past
singular	mōte	mōste
plural	mōten	mōsten
imperative
singular	mōte
plural	mōtaþ
participle	present	past
	mōtende	mōten

Descendants

• Middle English: moten
  • Scots: mote, mot, moit
  • English: mote
• ⇒ Old English: mōste (preterite)
  • Middle English: moste
    • Scots: moste, most, moist
    • English: must

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Old Saxon

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *mōtaną.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmoːtɑn/

Verb

mōtan

1. to may, to be able to
   • gern uuas he suīðo that he it thurh ferhtan hugi frummean mōsti

     He was really willing that he may accomplish it with wise thoughts

     (Heliand, verse 93)
2. to must, to be allowed to
   • than mōtun gi thea fruma ēgan

     Then you have to possess the profit

     (Heliand, verse 1460)

Conjugation

Conjugation of mōtan (preterite-present)

infinitive	mōtan
indicative	present	past
1st person singular	mōt	mōsta
2nd person singular	mōst	mōstes
3rd person singular	mōt	mōsta
plural	mōtun	mōstun
subjunctive	present	past
1st person singular	mōti	mōsti
2nd person singular	mōtis	mōstis
3rd person singular	mōti	mōsti
plural	mōtin	mōstin
imperative	present
singular	—
plural	—
participle	present	past
	mōtandi	gimōtan, mōtan

Descendants

• Middle Low German: môten, moste (past)
  • German Low German: möten
  • → Old Swedish: most (late)
    • Swedish: måste

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Romanian

Etymology

Origin unknown. Probably from motoc, possibly influenced by mâțan. See cotoi.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /moˈtan/

Noun

motan m (plural motani)

1. tomcat
2. (epithet given to) a person who is uncommunicative, secretive, hypocritical.

Declension

declension of motan

	singular		plural
	indefinite articulation	definite articulation	indefinite articulation	definite articulation
nominative/accusative	(un) motan	motanul	(niște) motani	motanii
genitive/dative	(unui) motan	motanului	(unor) motani	motanilor
vocative	motanule		motanilor

See also

• cotoi
• mâț
• mâță
• mâțan
• mâțoi
• motoc
• pisică
• pisoi

Further reading

• motan in DEX online - Dicționare ale limbii române (Dictionaries of the Romanian language)