History of the Letter M

      M is the thirteenth letter of the English alphabet derived from Latin.  It is also the thirteenth letter of the ancient North Semitic and Estrucan alphabets.  The Semites were the ones who lived in Syria and Palestine.  They named it mem, their word for water, and adapted an Egyptian hieroglyphic or picture symbol for water. 

     The shape of the letter m derives from the early North Semitic and Phoenican forms, from which the Greek m (mu) involved.   Through the Estrucans, the Greek form was taken over by the Romans and handed down to the present-day alphabet. 

Samar Al Ansari
Grade 7