Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “merkin” come from?

merkin (English) comes from English malkin, from English Malde, from English Matilda, from Old French Mathilde, from Old High German maht, from Proto-West Germanic mahti, from Proto-Germanic mahtiz, from Proto-Germanic mahtuz.

merkin (English): A woman's pubic wig. Worn for nude stage...

Definitions

  1. A woman's pubic wig. Worn for nude stage...

Ancestry of “merkin”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmalkinA lower-class or uncultured woman; a...
2EnglishMalde—
3EnglishMatildaEither of two British infantry tanks in use...
4Old FrenchMathilde—
5Old High Germanmahtmight
6Proto-West Germanicmahtimight, power
7Proto-Germanicmahtizpower, ability; strength, force
8Proto-Germanicmahtuzmight, power
9Proto-Indo-Europeanmógʰtis—
10Proto-Indo-Europeanmeǵʰ-—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European meǵʰ- →