Might

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /maɪt/

Definitions

1. The presence of potential or authority to perform actions often suggests a level of strength or ability
2. The term can denote the expression of likelihood or capability, conveying permission and influence in certain contexts
3. The concept refers to the ability or power to do something, indicating possible strength while also suggesting a level of probability in various situations

Etymology: The noun "might" is built from the verb "may" plus the suffix "-th", the same ending found in "strength" and "length." Its ancestor, Old English "maht," meant ability, power, or strength, and it shares a root with the verb "may," which once meant "to be able" before it shifted toward permission and possibility. So the noun was originally about having the capacity to do something, and the sense of physical force grew out of that. Its relatives spread across Europe and beyond. German "Macht," Dutch "macht," and Swedish "makt" all mean power, and Gothic "mahts" shows the word was already in use among early Germanic peoples. The same root reaches far afield, too: Greek "magos," the word behind "magic" and "magician," comes from the same Indo-European root, though the link is distant and the meanings diverged.

Synonyms: power, strength, force

Antonyms: weakness, inability