mire
/maɪər/
noun
Origin
Old Norse
mýrr — swamp, bog
Overview
Meaning Now
- A stretch of swampy or boggy ground.
- A complicated or difficult situation from which it is hard to extricate oneself.
Literal older meaning
swamp, marsh, or mud
Language path
Old Norse → Middle English → English
Earliest form
myre
Earliest period
13th century
Journey
The word entered English during the Middle English period, largely due to the intense contact with Old Norse speakers in the Danelaw regions. It replaced or complemented native Old English terms for similar terrain, such as 'fen' or 'mōr'.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
*miuzjō
“bog, swamp”
- Old Norse
mýrr
“swamp, marshy ground”
- Middle English
myre
“marsh, mire”
Introduced through Norse influence in northern England.
- Modern English
mire
“swamp or difficult entanglement”
Connections
Word parts
mire
root
swampy ground
Related across languages
Old Swedish
myra
bog
Danish
myre
swamp
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.