Introduction

The particle *me meaning "with, at, between" is probably the origin of *médʰyos: "middle"—in turn the origin of many, many words.

I wonder if *meh₁-: "to measure" and *meh₁d-: "to consider, to give advice, to heal" isn't also from *me. Germanic *midlą for example sometimes means "middle" but sometimes means "medicine, remedy". Or, in both Sardinian and Dalmatian, the Latin words medius: "middle" and mēnsus: "measured" are merged as mesu: "half".

The other PIE word for "with" *ḱom could possibly be related, possibly originating as *ḱe + me: "with that". On the other hand I'm not convinced *ḱom is even related to *ḱe, since *ḱe was originally indeclinable, and declined *o forms were a late innovation in some branches, but *ḱom appears in almost all branches. Armenian is a notable exception, lacking a direct descendant of *ḱom, but is one of the branches with form reflecting *ḱo.

Teaser

midwife, metaphor, method, milliner, Midgard, middle, Mesopotamia, Euromaidan, media, medallion, mean, a.m., p.m., mediate

Full Text

• Proto-Indo-European *me with, at, between, in the middle of

  • Albanian me with
  • Hellenic

    • Classical Greek *me

      • Greek με me with, by, at
  • Proto-Indo-European *metih₂

    • Pre-Albanian *met

      • Albanian mjet between, among, wall, means, tool
      • Pre-Albanian *metwisa between lands

        • Albanian mjedis environment, nature

          • Albanian midis between, among
    • Germanic *midi with, by, together

      • West Germanic

        • Old English mid with

          • Old English midwīf midwife lit. "with-woman"

            • English midwife
        • Old High German mit with

          • German mit with
          • Yiddish מיט mit with
    • Hellenic meta

      • Mycenaean Greek 𐀕𐀲 me-ta
      • Classical Greek μετά metá among, between, along with, in pursuit of, after, next

        • Classical Greek μετα- participation, succession, pursuit, after, reversely, change

          • Classical Greek μεταβάλλω metabállō I throw into a different position, I change suddenly, I turn around

            • Classical Greek ​​μετᾰβολή metabolḗ change, mutation, transformation

              • Greek μεταβολή metavolí
              • French métabolisme metabolism

                • English metabolism
          • Classical Greek μεθίστημι methístēmi

            • Classical Greek μετάστασις metástasis

              • Greek μετάσταση metástasi
              • Late Latin metastasis

                • English metastasis
          • Classical Greek μεταφέρω metaphérō I carry over, I transfer, I change, I use metaphorically

            • Classical Greek μεταφορά metaphorā́

              • Greek μεταφορά metaforá
              • Latin metaphora

                • French métaphore

                  • English metaphor
          • Classical Greek μετᾰμορφόω metamorphóō I transform, I disguise

            • Classical Greek μετᾰμόρφωσῐς metamórphōsis

              • Latin metamorphōsis

                • English metamorphosis
          • Classical Greek μετανοέω metanoéō

            • English metanoia
          • Classical Greek μέθοδος méthodos path to follow, pursuit, pursuit of knowledge, inquiry, doctrine, method, trick

            • Greek μέθοδος méthodos method
            • Armenian մեթոդ metʿod method
            • Georgian მეთოდი metodi method
            • Hebrew מֶתוֹדָה metóda method
            • Latin methodus method

              • French méthode method, book

                • English method
                • Persian متد metod
            • Russian ме́тод métod method
          • Classical Greek μέτοικος métoikos

            • English metic
          • Classical Greek Μεθύδριον Methúdrion place name: Between the Waters
          • Greek μετα meta- re-
          • English meta-
        • Classical Greek μετα ταῦτα meta taûta along with this

          • Byzantine Greek μεταῦτα metaûta with compounded and haplology

            • Greek με me with, by, at
  • Proto-Indo-European *me-dʰe- placed with? ^[1]

    • Proto-Indo-European *médʰyos

      • Pre-Albanian *medza

        • Albanian mjez middle
      • Old Armenian մէջ mēǰ middle, inside

        • Armenian մեջ meǰ inside, among
        • Georgian მიჯნა miǯna boundary, border
      • Balto-Slavic *medjas boundary, border, no man's land

        • East Baltic

          • Latvian mežs forest
          • Lithuanian mẽdis tree, wood
          • Lithuanian mẽdžias forest dialectal
        • West Baltic

          • Old Prussian median forest
        • Slavic *meďà border, boundary, uncultivated space between fields

          • East Slavic межа́ mežá

            • Russian межа́ mežá boundary, margin, abutment
            • Ukrainian межа́ mežá boundary, border, limit, frontier
          • South Slavic

            • Bulgarian междá meždá boundary between fields
            • Serbo-Croatian мѐђа mèđa border, boundary, landmark
          • West Slavic

            • Czech mez limit
            • Polish miedza uncultivated space between fields, border
          • Slavic *meďu between, among from the locative dual of *meďà

            • East Slavic *mežu

              • Russian меж mež between, among
              • Ukrainian між miž between, among
            • South Slavic

              • Bulgarian между́ meždú between
              • Serbo-Croatian ме̏ђу mȅđu between, among
            • West Slavic

              • Czech mezi between, among
              • Polish między between
      • Celtic *medyos middle

        • Brythonic

          • Old Breton med midsummer
        • Old Irish mide middle, center

          • Irish mí middle
        • Gaulish

          • Gaulish *Medyolānom place name: Central Plain

            • Latin Mediolānum

              • Vulgar Latin *Meiolano

                • Central Romance

                  • Italian Milano

                    • French Milan

                      • English Milan

                        • English Milaner

                          • English milliner
                • Old High German Meilān

                  • German Mailand
      • Germanic *midjaz middle

        • East Germanic

          • Gothic 𐌼𐌹𐌳𐌾𐌹𐍃 midjis middle

            • Albanian midis between, among
        • North Germanic

          • Old Norse miðr middle

            • Icelandic miður middle
            • Swedish mid- mid-
        • Germanic *midjagardaz the middle enclosure, the world, Midgard

          • East Germanic

            • Gothic 𐌼𐌹𐌳𐌾𐌿𐌽𐌲𐌰𐍂𐌳𐍃 midjungards the inhabited world, ecumene
          • North Germanic

            • Old Norse Miðgarðr the Earth, Midgard, the inhabited world

              • Danish Midgård
              • Icelandic Miðgarður

                • English Midgard
          • West Germanic

            • Old English Middanġeard the world, the inhabited world ^[2]

              • Old English Middaneard the world, the inhabited world ^[2]

                • English Middle Earth
        • Germanic *midj(ą/ǭ) middle, center noun

          • North Germanic

            • Old Norse miðja center, middle

              • Icelandic miðja center, middle
              • Swedish midja waist
          • West Germanic

            • Old English midd

              • English mid

                • English mid-
            • Old High German mitti middle

              • German Mitte middle, center
              • Yiddish מיט mit middle
          • Germanic *midlą middle, means diminutive noun

            • North Germanic

              • Old Norse meðal means, medicine

                • Icelandic meðal medicine, drug, means
            • West Germanic

              • Old English middel

                • English middle
              • Old High German mittil

                • German Mittel agent, appliance, means, remedy, median
                • Yiddish מיטל mitl means, resources, middle
      • Hellenic *métsos

        • Classical Greek μέσος mésos between, half, moderate

          • Classical Greek Μεσοποταμίᾱ Mesopotamíā

            • Latin Mesopotamia

              • English Mesopotamia
          • English meso-
      • Illyrian metu- between, among

        • Illyrian Metubarbis place name: Among the Swamp

          • Latin Metubarbis
      • Indo-Iranian *mádʰyas middle

        • Dardic

          • Kashmiri مَنٛز manz inside of, among, between
        • Indo-Aryan

          • Sanskrit 𑀫𑀥𑁆𑀬 mádhya middle, center

            • Magadhi 𑀫𑀚𑁆𑀛 majjha

              • Bengali মাঝ majhô
            • Pali 𑀫𑀚𑁆𑀛 majjha
            • Sauraseni 𑀫𑀚𑁆𑀛 majjha

              • Madhya Sauraseni

                • Hindi में mẽ in, within, into, during, between
              • Pahari

                • Nepali मा mā in, at, on
              • Punjabi ਮੰਝ mañjh middle

                • Punjabi ਮਾਝਾ Mājjhā place name: Central (Punjab), Majha

                  • English Majha
            • Hindi मध्य madhya
            • Javanese ꦩꦢꦾ madya middle, medium, waist

              • Malay madya center
            • Punjabi ਮੱਧ maddh
            • Telugu మధ్య madhya middle, central
            • Sanskrit madhyāhna midday, noon

              • Magadhi

                • Bengali মধ্যাহ্ন môdhẏahnô midday, noon
              • Telugu మధ్యాహ్నము madhyāhnamu midday, noon
        • Iranian *mádyah middle

          • Avestan 𐬨𐬀𐬌𐬜𐬌𐬌𐬁𐬌 maiδiiāi at the center locative
          • Northern Iranian

            • Ossetian мидӕг midæg
          • Pashto ملا mla waist
          • Iranian *mádyanah middle, waist noun

            • Avestan 𐬨𐬀𐬌𐬜𐬌𐬌𐬁𐬥𐬀 maiδiiāna
            • Northern Iranian

              • Khotani myāna
            • Western Iranian

              • Northwestern Iranian

                • Parthian 𐫖𐫅𐫏𐫀𐫗 maẟyān

                  • Arabic ميدان maydān open space, public square, battlefield, field of study

                    • Armenian մեյդան meydan public square
                    • Persian میدان meydân plaza, public square, field

                      • Georgian მოედანი moedani arena, plaza, public square
                      • Hindi मैदान maidān park, lawn, sports field
                      • Telugu ​​మైదానము maidānamu court, field, meadow
                      • Ottoman Turkish میدان meydân

                        • Turkish meydan public square, plaza, open space
                        • Armenian մեյդան meydan public square
                        • Romanian maidan open space
                        • Serbo-Croatian мѐјда̄н mèjdān public square, field, public exposition
                        • Serbo-Croatian мѐгда̄н mègdān battlefield, dueling ground, duel, battle, competition
                    • Kipchak

                      • Russian майда́н majdán public square
                      • Ukrainian майда́н majdán public square

                        • Ukrainian Євромайда́н Jevromajdán Euromaidan

                          • English Euromaidan
              • Old Persian *madyānaʰ

                • Persian میان miyân middle, center
                • Elamite 𒈠𒋾𒂊𒈾 ma-ti-e-na
        • Nuristani *máǰa

          • Ashkun më́z
          • Kamviri mǘč
      • Italic *meðjos

        • Oscan 𐌌𐌄𐌚𐌉𐌞 mefiú
        • Latin medius middle, half, moderate

          • Central Romance

            • Dalmatian mesu middle, half with influence from mēnsus: "measured"
            • Italian mezzo half, middle, means, method, vehicle

              • Italian mezzosoprano

                • English mezzo-soprano

                  • English mezzo
          • Eastern Romance

            • Romanian miez core, heart, pulp
          • Insular Romance

            • Sardinian mesu half with influence from mēnsus: "measured"
          • Western Romance

            • Portuguese meio half
          • Latin medium middle, center, medium, community, public, publicity neuter substantive

            • English medium
            • Latin media

              • English media
          • Latin mediālis of the middle, medial

            • English medial
            • Latin mediālia

              • Vulgar Latin *medālia a thing in the middle, a half thing, esp. a half-denarius coin

                • Central Romance

                  • Italian medaglia medal

                    • French médaille medal

                      • English medal
                      • Vietnamese mề đay medallion, crest
                      • French médaillon medallion

                        • English medallion
                • Insular Romance

                  • Sardinian

                    • Logudorese meadza
                • Western Romance

                  • Spanish meaja a small coin
          • Latin medi- mid-

            • Western Romance

              • French mi- half-, mid-
            • Latin mediānus

              • Central Romance

                • Italian mezzano average, mean, medium, middle, mizzen

                  • French misaine

                    • English mizzen
                  • Italian mezzanino mezzanine

                    • French mezzanine

                      • English mezzanine
              • Western Romance

                • Old Occitan mitjan middle, mizzen

                  • Catalan mitjana mean, average, mizzen, median strip
                  • French misaine

                    • English mizzen
                • Old French meien

                  • French moyen middle, average, medium, way, method, means
                  • English mean
              • English median
              • Old Irish medón middle

                • Irish meán mid, central, middle, average, waist
            • Latin medietās center, middle part, midpoint, half

              • Central Romance

                • Italian metà half, center, mid-
              • Western Romance

                • French moitié half, significant other

                  • English moiety
                • Spanish mitad half
              • Latin *dimidietās

                • Eastern Romance

                  • Romanian jumătate half possibly influenced by unrelated Pre-Albanian *jūmatjā: half"
            • Latin *medī-diēs mid-day

              • Latin merīdiēs midday, noon, south dissimilation of 'd'

                • Central Romance

                  • Italian meriggio midday
                • Eastern Romance

                  • Romanian meriză palce where cattle rest at noon
                • Latin ante meridiem before noon

                  • English a.m.
                • Latin post meridiem after noon

                  • English p.m.
                • Latin merīdiānus relating to midday, southern

                  • French méridien relating to midday, meridian

                    • English meridian
            • Latin ​​mediterrāneus inland, surrounded by land

              • French méditerrané inland
              • Latin Mare Mediterrāneum place name: Sea in the Middle of the Land

                • English Mediterranean Sea

                  • English mediterranean
                • Italian ​​Mar Mediterraneo

                  • Italian mediterraneo mediterranean
            • Latin mediocris middling, moderate, ordinary, mediocre, tolerable

              • French médiocre

                • English mediocre
            • New Latin mediaevus a middle age

              • New Latin mediaevālis of a middle age, medieval

                • French médiéval

                  • English medieval
          • Latin dīmidius half, halved ~"into two pieces at the middle"

            • Western Romance

              • French demi half

                • English demi-
            • Welsh dimei a halfpenny
            • Latin *dimidietās

              • Eastern Romance

                • Romanian jumătate half possibly influenced by unrelated Pre-Albanian *jūmatjā: half"
          • Latin mediāre to halve, to divide in the middle, to be in the middle

            • English mediate
          • Latin medulla marrow

            • Central Romance

              • Italian midolla pulp, pith, breadcrumbs
            • Eastern Romance

              • Romanian măduvă marrow
            • Western Romance

              • French moelle marrow, spinal cord, pith
            • English medulla
      • Messapian *mess-?

        • Messapian *Messapi-? place name: Between the Waters with [h₂ep-: "water"] ^[3]

          • Classical Greek Μεσσάπιος Messápios a Messapian

            • Latin Messapius

              • Latin Messapia

                • English Messapia

                  • English Messapian
    • Proto-Indo-European *medʰeros more central? comparative

      • Tocharian *mäcǝre- southern

        • Arshian mäcriṃ southern
        • Kushean *mutruñ

          • Kushean omutruññaiṣṣe southern
  • Proto-Indo-European *mé-ǵʰ(s)ri at hand, near with *ǵʰes-: "hand" in the locative

    • Albanian ndjerë near, at, until
    • Old Armenian մերձ merj near, about

      • Armenian մերձ merj near
    • Hellenic

      • Classical Greek μέχρῐ mékhri as far as, up to, until

        • Greek μέχρι méchri as far as, until

Visual

Collected English words

midwife, metabolism, metastasis, metaphor, metamorphosis, metanoia, method, metic, meta-, Milan, Milaner, milliner, Midgard, Middle Earth, mid, mid-, middle, Mesopotamia, meso-, Majha, Euromaidan, mezzo-soprano, mezzo, medium, media, medial, medal, medallion, mezzanine, mizzen, mean, median, moiety, a.m., p.m., meridian, Mediterranean Sea, mediterranean, mediocre, medieval, demi-, mediate, medulla, Messapia, Messapian

Footnotes

1. ^

   *médʰyos is probably *me: "with" plus the locative particle *-dʰe; related to *dʰeh₁-: "to do, to put, to place".

2. ^

   Germanic *midjagardaz is literally "the middle enclosure", understood to mean the inhabited world, the human world. This became Old Norse Miðgarðr, anglicized as Midgard. The Old English equivalent was Middanġeard, but as the Old English g gradually lenited away it was re-analyzed as Middaneard: "Middle Earth" (compare the uncompounded Old English ġeard which became yard).

   Though the eard in Middaneard is only coincidentally similar to earth.

3. ^

   Classical Greek Μεσσάπιος Messápios: "a Messapian" seems like it should come from a word corresponding to *médʰyo-h₂ep-: "between waters"—possibly referring to the their homeland on the sub-peninsula of Salento, with the Strait of Otranto and the Adriatic Sea on one side and the Gulf of Taranto and the Ionian Sea on the other. The sounds don't match any very well attested Indo-European languages, so it is presumably from the Messapian language itself.