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Origin and history of Magnus

Magnus

Scandinavian masc. proper name, popular with early kings, the first to use it was Magnus I, king of Norway and Denmark (d. 1047), who evidently took it in emulation of Charlemagne (Latin Carolus Magnus) under the impression that magnus (Latin, literally "great," from PIE root *meg- "great") was a personal name.

Entries linking to Magnus

Charlemagne

king of the Franks (742-814), literally "Carl the Great," from French form of Medieval Latin Carolus Magnus (see Charles + Magnus).

*meg-

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "great."

It might form all or part of: acromegaly; Almagest; Charlemagne; maestro; magisterial; magistral; magistrate; Magna Carta; magnate; magnitude; magnum; magnanimity; magnanimous; magni-; Magnificat; magnificence; magnificent; magnify; magniloquence; magniloquent; Magnus; maharajah; maharishi; mahatma; Mahayana; Maia; majesty; major; major-domo; majority; majuscule; master; maxim; maximum; may (v.2) "to take part in May Day festivities;" May; mayor; mega-; megalo-; mickle; mister; mistral; mistress; much; omega.

It might also be the source of: Armenian mets "great;" Sanskrit mahat- "great, mazah- "greatness;" Avestan mazant- "great;" Hittite mekkish "great, large;" Greek megas "great, large;" Latin magnus "great, large, much, abundant," major "greater," maximus "greatest;" Middle Irish mag, maignech "great, large;" Middle Welsh meith "long, great."

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    maximum
    from French maximum and directly from Latin maximum (plural maxima), neuter of maximus "greatest," which is superlative of magnus...
    magniloquent
    magniloquentia "lofty style of language," from magniloquus "pompous in talk, vaunting, boastful," from combining form of magnus...
    magnification
    magnificare "esteem greatly, extol, make much of," from magnificus "great, elevated, noble," literally "doing great deeds," from magnus...
    magnitude
    pre-eminence, magnificence;" early 15c., "greatness of size or extent," from Latin magnitudo "greatness, bulk, size," from magnus...
    magnificent
    magnificentior, comparative of magnificus "great, elevated, noble, distinguished," literally "doing great deeds," from magnus...
    major
    greater, more important or effective, leading, principal," from Latin maior (earlier *magios), irregular comparative of magnus...
    magnum
    powerful" (of force); of persons, "elder, aged," also, figuratively, "great, mighty, grand, important," neuter singular of magnus...
    austere
    early 14c., of persons, manner, etc., "harsh, severe; grim, fierce," from Old French austere "strict, severe, harsh, cruel" (13c., Modern French austère) and directly from Latin austerus "dry, harsh, sour, tart," from Greek austeros "bitter, harsh," especially "making the tongue
    ginger
    11c., from Old English ginȝifer, ginȝiber, from Late Latin gingiber, from Latin zingiberi, from Greek zingiberis, from Prakrit (Middle Indic) singabera, from Sanskrit srngaveram, from srngam "horn" + vera- "body," so called from the shape of its root. But this may be Sanskrit fol
    engage
    early 15c., engagen, "to pledge" (something, as security for payment), from Old French engagier "bind (by promise or oath), pledge; pawn" (12c.), from phrase en gage "under pledge," from en "in" (see en- (1)) + gage "pledge," through Frankish from Proto-Germanic *wadiare "pledge"

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