-mas (as in Michaelmas or Christmas)

[whatchama]

bonjour au forum,

.... that he is to take possession before Michaelmas, est-ce le jour de la St Michel ou à la St Michel (auquel cas mas peut être rattaché à n'importe quel saint), ou est-ce plus restrictif : The "-mas" part came from the Anglo-Saxon for "festival", "religious event" et limité à quelques fêtes dans l'année, Christmas étant la plus célèbre ?

 

[demon001]

A Christian feast observed in honor of the archangel Michael, -mas can be attached to any saint's name and is used mostly in Christmas.

 

[whatchama]

-mas can be attached to any saint's name : avec un peu de retard, merci beaucoup.

 

[Dr. Baha'i]

I don't think I have heard of the -mas suffix except in Christmas and Michaelmas, though. Marymas, Josephmas, Johnmas, Lukemas -- they all sound extremely peculiar.

I have only been around people once that I can recall who observed Michaelmas, and if memory serves, they pronounced it "Micklemuss." Consistent with the long I in Christ becoming short in Christmas.

 

[Latege]

I don't think I have heard of the -mas suffix except in Christmas and Michaelmas, though. Marymas, Josephmas, Johnmas, Lukemas -- they all sound extremely peculiar.

Candlemas, Lammas and Martinmas also exist. '-mas' is related to Mass (as in eucharist) so has that same idea of feast or celebration. I imagine in days gone by it could have been happily added to any name or indeed thing (such as candle) you celebrated but since it's fallen into disuse it does sound odd except in those fossilised forms of set feasts.

 

[FIFIAN]

The suffix in Christmas, Michaelmas, Martinmas simply means mass (la messe): Christmas means then la messe du Christ usw.

 

[bh7]

And some of the days mentioned here (Candlemas, Lammas, Michaelmas, Martinmas, Christmas) were in bygone days important "quarter days" in the British Isles or Ireland, with legal significance. See here.