E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
M’,
i.e. Mac. A Gaelic prefix meaning son. (Gothic, magus, a son; Sanskrit, mah, to grow; Welsh, magu, to breed.) The Welsh ap is Mac changed to Map, and contracted into ’ap or ’p, as Apadam (’Ap Adam), Prichard (’P Richard).
