An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Macht

by Friedrich Kluge

Macht, feminine, ‘might, force,’ from the equivalent Middle High German and Old High German maht, feminine, ‘might, power, ability’; compare Old Saxon maht, Dutch magt, Anglo-Saxon meaht, miht, English might, Old Icelandic máttr, masculine, Gothic mahts, feminine, ‘might, power, capacity.’ The common Teutonic *mahti-, feminine, which may be deduced from these words, is an old verbal abstract of Gothic magan. See mögen and Gemächt.