mare etymology

Etymology:

• Old English mare (feminine noun) "nightmare, goblin"
• Proto-Germanic *marōn (feminine noun) "nightmare, goblin"
• Proto-Indo-European *móros (masculine noun) "night, death"

Meaning:

• A supernatural creature, typically female, believed to oppress people during sleep, causing nightmares and other terrifying experiences
• A female horse, in modern usage
• A pond or pool, particularly in a marsh or bog

Origin:

The word "mare" has its roots in ancient Indo-European mythology, where it referred to a male death spirit (móros). This entity was associated with nightmares, as people believed that it would visit them during sleep and steal their breath or sit on their chest, causing a feeling of suffocation.

In Germanic languages, the word became feminine (marōn) and evolved to specifically mean a female nightmare creature. In Old English, "mare" was used to describe these supernatural beings, which were often depicted as hags or witches that rode on horses or oppressed people in their sleep.

Over time, the meaning of "mare" shifted towards its modern usage, denoting a female horse. The association between nightmares and horses may have arisen from the belief that horses were ridden by supernatural beings during the night.

The term "mare" is also used to refer to a pond or pool, particularly in a marsh or bog. This usage is thought to derive from the Old English word "mere," which meant "sea, lake, or pond."

mare relate terms

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• mare

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