Mightier

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈmaɪtiə(ɹ)/

Definitions

1. Possessing a superior level of strength or power than others
2. Demonstrating greater influence or capability than alternatives present
3. Having more strength or force than others in a comparison

Etymology: "Mightier" is simply the comparative of "mighty," so its story is really the story of the adjective it modifies. "Mighty" descends from Old English "mihtig" and related forms, built from the noun "might" plus the suffix "-y," which turned a noun into a describing word meaning "full of might." The same root shows up across the Germanic languages: Dutch "machtig," German "mächtig," and Swedish "mäktig" all carry the same sense of power and strength, tracing back to a Proto-Germanic form. The comparative ending "-ier" is added to "mighty" to express that one thing has more of this strength than another. Here the older English comparative pattern survives in a form that sounds slightly archaic today, since most speakers reach for "more mighty" or simply "stronger." The word has kept its sense of power across more than a thousand years of English, changing its spelling many times along the way, from "mihtig" to the "mighty" we use now.

Synonyms: stronger, more powerful

Antonyms: weaker, less powerful