An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/mähen

by Friedrich Kluge

mähen, vb., ‘to mow,’ from the equiv. MidHG. mœjen, OHG. mâen; corresponding to Du. maaijen, AS. mâwan (pret. meów), E. to mow. A common West Teut. root mê, ‘to mow,’ has already been deduced from the previous word; it appears in Gr. with a vowel prefixed in ἄ-μη-τος, ‘harvest,’ and ἀ-μάω, ‘to mow’; the t in the Lat. root mêt, ‘to mow, harvest,’ which orig. belonged to the pres. stem only, may have been regarded as a part of the root; to this is allied OIr. meithel, ‘a party of reapers.’