måtte

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɔtə/, [ˈmʌd̥ə]

Borrowed via Middle Low German matte from Medieval Latin matta, of Semitic origin. Also borrowed to English mat and German Matte.

måtte c (singular definite måtten, plural indefinite måtter)

1. mat

• → Faroese: motta
• → Icelandic: motta

• “måtte,1” in Den Danske Ordbog

From Old Norse mega (“must, may”), from Proto-Germanic *maganą, cognate with English may, German mögen. The original infinitive was lost and replaced by the past tense (in analogy with the verbs kunne (“could”), skulle (“should”), and ville (“would”), in which the infinitive and the past tense have become homophonous).

måtte (present må, past måtte, past participle måttet)

1. must, have to, got to (duty or certainty)
2. can, may (allowance)
3. may (wish)
4. may (possibility)

• “måtte,2” in Den Danske Ordbog

From Old Norse mátta, Old Norse mega.

måtte (present tense må, simple past måtte, past participle måttet)

1. must
2. may (subjunctive present defective)

• “måtte” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

• IPA^(key): /²mɔtːə/

måtte (present tense må, past tense måtte, past participle mått or måtta)

1. alternative form of måtta

måtte

1. past indicative of må