From Middle English mete, from Old English mete, from Proto-West Germanic *mati, from Proto-Germanic *matiz, from Proto-Indo-European *mehβd-. Cognate with West Frisian mete, Old Saxon meti, Old High German maz ("food"), Icelandic matr, Gothic πΌπ°ππ.
A -ja- derivation from the same base is found in Middle Dutch and Middle Low German met ("lean pork"), from which latter German Mett ("minced meat"). Compare also Old Irish mess and Welsh mes, English mast, which are probably from the same root.
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