man

Where does the word "man" come from? It comes from Proto-Germanic mann-, passing through Old English before entering English (1500s).

Man’s story begins in Proto-Germanic: mann- meant “person.” Found across Germanic, perhaps related to 'mind'. By 700s-1000s, the word had taken hold in Old English as mann. Meant a person of either sex; a male was 'wer', as in 'werewolf', and a female 'wīf'. It reached English by 1500s as man. 'wer' died out, leaving 'man' to mean an adult male, though 'mankind' keeps the old sense. Today, man means an adult male human; a person.

1. Stage 1 · Proto-Germanic · ancient mann- "person", found across Germanic, perhaps related to 'mind'.
2. Stage 2 · Old English · 700s-1000s mann "person", meant a person of either sex; a male was 'wer', as in 'werewolf', and a female 'wīf'.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s man "adult male", 'wer' died out, leaving 'man' to mean an adult male, though 'mankind' keeps the old sense.