mote

Meanings

Noun

• A small particle; a speck.
• A meeting for discussion.
• A body of persons who meet for discussion, especially about the management of affairs.
• A place of meeting for discussion.
• A tiny computer for remote sensing; a component element of smartdust.

Verb

• May or might.
• Must.
• may.

Origin

• From Middle English mot, from Old English mot ("grain of sand; mote; atom"), but of uncertain ultimate origin. Sometimes linked to Spanish mota ("speck") and English mud.
• Compare West Frisian mot, Dutch mot, Norwegian mutt.
• From Middle English moten, from Old English mōtan ("to be allowed, be able to, have the opportunity to, be compelled to, may, must"), from Proto-Germanic *mōtaną ("to be able to, have to, be delegated"), from Proto-Indo-European *med- ("to acquire, possess, be in charge of"). Cognate with Dutch moeten ("to have to, must"), German müssen ("to have to, must"), Ancient Greek μέδω ("to prevail, dominate, rule over"). Related to empty.
• See moot.
• From remote, with allusion to the other sense of mote.