Etymology Dictionary

MAY (1),  I am able, I am free to act, I am allowed to.  (E.)   There is no infinitive in use; if there were, it would rather take the form mow than may.   May is the present tense (once, the past tense of a strong verb); might is the past tense (really a secondary past tense or pluperfect).   M.E. infin. mown (for mowen), Prompt. Parv. p. 346; pres. t. sing. I may, Chaucer, C. T. 4651; pt. t. I mighte, id. 322, 634.—A.S. mugan, infin., to be able; pres. t. ic mæg, I may or can; pt. t. ic mihte, I might. + O. Sax. mugan; pres. t. ik mag; pt. t. mahta. + Icel. mega; pres. t. ek má; pt. t. ek mátti. + Du. mogen; pres. t. ik mag; pt. t. ik mogt. + Dan. pres. t. maa; pt. t. maatte. + Swed. pres. t. må; pt. t. måtte. + G. mögen; pres. t. mag; pt. t. mochte. + Goth. magan; pres. t. ik mag; pt. t. ik mahta.   β. All from a Teut. base MAG, to have power.   Further allied to Russ. moche, to be able; cf. moche, sb., power, might; Lat. magnus, great, mactus, honoured; Gk. μηχανή, means; Skt. mah, to honour.   All from ✔MAGH, to have power, be great, further, help; see Fick, i. 388.   Der. The derivatives from this root are very numerous.   Some of the chief are main, sb., main, adj., magnate, magnitude, magistrate, maid, major, mayor, make, machine, master, matador, maxim, mechanics, megatherium, &c.   Also dis-may, q.v.   Also might, mickle, much, more, most; perhaps many; perhaps maw and May (2).

MAY (2),  the fifth month.  (F.,—L.)   M.E. Mai, May; Chaucer, C. T. 1502, 1512.—O.F. May, Mai, 'the month of May;' Cot.—Lat. Maius, May; so named as being the month of 'growth.'   It was dedicated to Maia, i.e. 'the increaser' or 'the honoured.'   Allied to maior, greater, magnus, great, mactare, to honour, &c.—✔MAGH, to have power; see May (1).   Der. May-day, -flower, -fly, -pole, -queen.