micel

See also: micel-

Old English

Alternative forms

• myċel, micil

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *mikil, from Proto-Germanic *mikilaz, from Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s (“big, great, stout”). The Germanic is cognate with Ancient Greek μέγας (mégas, “great”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmi.t͡ʃel/

Adjective

miċel (comparative māra, superlative mǣst)

1. big, large; great, physical context

   "Ēalā, hū miċele nosu hē hæfþ!" "Māran iċ ġeseah." "Hwæt is sēo mǣste þe þū ǣfre ġemēttest?"

   "Wow, he has such a big nose!" "I've seen bigger." "What's the biggest one you've ever seen?"

2. great, abstract context
   • late 10th century, Ælfric, "Saint George, Martyr"

     Nāst þū lā Geori þæt ūre godas swincað mid þē and ġit hī synd ġeþyldiġe þæt hī þe miltsion. Nū lǣre ic ðē swā swā lēofne sunu þæt ðū þæra cristenra lāre forlǣte mid ealle and tō mīnum rǣde hraðe ġebūge swā þæt ðū offriġe þām ārwurðan Appoline and þū mycelne wurðmynt miht swā beġitan.

     Knowest thou not, O George, that our gods are striving with thee, and even yet they are patient, that they may pity thee; now I exhort thee, as a beloved son, that thou altogether quit the Christians' doctrine, and quickly incline to my counsel, so that thou sacrifice to the venerable Apollo, and thou mayest so obtain great honour.

3. much, a lot

   Hū miċel sċeal iċ þē?

   How much do I owe you?

   • late 9th century, King Alfred's translation of Boethius' The Consolation of Philosophy

     Hwæðer miċel feoh mæġ ǣniġne mann dōn swā ġesǣliġne þæt hē nānes þinges māran ne þearf?

     Can a lot of money make anyone so happy that they don't need anything more?

Declension

Declension of miċel — Strong

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	miċel	miċel	miċel
Accusative	miċelne	miċele	miċel
Genitive	miċeles	miċelre	miċeles
Dative	miċelum	miċelre	miċelum
Instrumental	miċele	miċelre	miċele
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	miċele	miċela, miċele	miċel
Accusative	miċele	miċela, miċele	miċel
Genitive	miċelra	miċelra	miċelra
Dative	miċelum	miċelum	miċelum
Instrumental	miċelum	miċelum	miċelum

Declension of miċel — Weak

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	miċela	miċele	miċele
Accusative	miċelan	miċelan	miċele
Genitive	miċelan	miċelan	miċelan
Dative	miċelan	miċelan	miċelan
Instrumental	miċelan	miċelan	miċelan
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	miċelan	miċelan	miċelan
Accusative	miċelan	miċelan	miċelan
Genitive	miċelra, miċelena	miċelra, miċelena	miċelra, miċelena
Dative	miċelum	miċelum	miċelum
Instrumental	miċelum	miċelum	miċelum

Derived terms

• miċelǣte
• miċele
• miċelian
• miċellīċ
• miċelmōd
• miċelnes
• miċeles tō

Descendants

• Middle English: muchel, michel, mickle, mikel, mochel, mochell, mukel, muche (apocopated form)
  • English: much
  • Geordie English: mickle, muckle
  • Scots: mickle, mikil, mekil, mukill, muckle
  • Yola: mucha, muche, much