Etymology Dictionary

AMONG, AMONGST,  amidst.  (E.)   α. The form amongst, like amidst, is not very old, and has assumed an additional final t, such as is often added after s; cf. whilst, amidst, from the older forms whiles, amiddes.   Amongist occurs in Torrent of Portugal, l. 2126; but I suppose it does not occur earlier than near the end of the fourteenth century.   β. The usual form is amonges, as in P. Plowman, B. v. 129; amonge is also common, id. v. 169.   Earlier, the commonest form is among, Ancren Riwle, p. 158.   γ. Amonges is formed by adding the usual adverbial suffix -es, properly a genitive form, and amonge by adding the adverbial suffix -e, also common, properly a dative form.—A.S. onmang, prep. among, Levit. xxiv. 10; the forms on gemang (John, iv. 31) and gemang (Mark, iii. 3) also occur, the last of the three being commonest.   B. Thus the prefix is A.S. on, and the full form onmang, used as a preposition.   Like most prepositions, it originated with a substantive, viz. A.S. (ge)mang, a crowd, assembly, lit. a mixture; so that on mang(e) or on gemang(e) meant 'in a crowd;' cf. A.S. mengan, mængan, to mix; Grein, ii. 231.   See Mingle.