< Reconstruction:Proto-Finnic
Reconstruction:Proto-Finnic/mees
Proto-Finnic
Etymology
Unclear. Two possibilities have been proposed:
- From earlier *meexes, borrowing from Proto-Germanic *mēgaz (“male in-law”).
- (less likely) Relationship to the Proto-Uralic root *mäńśɜ, reflected in the ethnonyms Mansi and Magyar, of Indo-Iranian origin (compare Proto-Balto-Slavic *mangjás (“man”), Sanskrit मनुष्य (manuṣyá)).
Both proposals have phonetic problems. At any rate, the word is an innovation replacing Proto-Uralic *koje (“man”).
Noun
*mees
- man, male
- husband
Descendants
- Estonian: mees
- Finnish: mies
- Ingrian: mees
- Karelian: mies
- Livonian: mīez
- Livvi: mies
- Ludian: miez
- Veps: mez'
- Võro: miis'
- Votic: meez