An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Met

by Friedrich Kluge

Met, m., ‘mead,’ from MidHG. mët, mëte, OHG. mëtu, mitu, m., ‘mead’; comp. AS. meodo, E. mead, OIc. mjǫðr; Goth. *midus, m., ‘mead,’ is by chance not recorded. A common Teut. and also common Aryan word; Aryan *medhu, Sans. mádhu, n., ‘sweetness, honey, sweet drink, Gr. μέθυ, ‘wine’ (to which μεθύω, ‘to be drunk, and μέθη, ‘drunkenness’), OSlov. medŭ, ‘honey, wine,’ Lith. midùs, ‘mead,’ medùs, ‘honey,’ Ir. mid. To these is allied OInd. mádhu, ‘sweet, lovely,’ hence the various meanings of medhu, ‘mead, honey, wine,’ lit. ‘that which is sweet,’ perhaps (according to Gr. μεθύω,) ‘intoxicating liquid.’ Comp. süß.