motan

From Proto-Germanic *mōtaną. Cognate with Old Saxon mōtan, Middle Dutch moeten (Dutch moeten), Old High German muozan (German müssen), Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌼𐍉𐍄𐌰𐌽 (gamōtan).

• IPA^(key): /ˈmoːtɑn/

mōtan

1. to be able; may
2. (rarely) must, have to

• Middle English: moten
  • Scots: mote, mot, moit
  • English: mote
• ⇒ Old English: mōste (preterite)
  • Middle English: moste
    • Scots: moste, most, moist
    • English: must

From Proto-Germanic *mōtaną.

• IPA^(key): /ˈmoːtɑn/

mōtan

1. to may, to be able to
   • gern uuas he suīðo that he it thurh ferhtan hugi frummean mōsti

     He was really willing that he may accomplish it with wise thoughts

     (Heliand, verse 93)
2. to must, to be allowed to
   • than mōtun gi thea fruma ēgan

     Then you have to possess the profit

     (Heliand, verse 1460)

• Middle Low German: môten, moste (past)
  • German Low German: möten
  • → Old Swedish: most (late)
    • Swedish: måste

Origin unknown. Probably from motoc, possibly influenced by mâțan. See cotoi.

• IPA^(key): /moˈtan/

motan m (plural motani)

1. tomcat
2. (epithet given to) a person who is uncommunicative, secretive, hypocritical.

• cotoi
• mâț
• mâță
• mâțan
• mâțoi
• motoc
• pisică
• pisoi

• motan in DEX online - Dicționare ale limbii române (Dictionaries of the Romanian language)