Where does “messboy” come from?
messboy (English) comes from English mess, from Middle English mes, from Old French mes, from Latin magis, from Dutch magisch, from Dutch magie, from French magie, from Middle French magie.
messboy (English): A young man employed on a ship as a waiter and messroom attendant
Definitions
- A young man employed on a ship as a waiter and messroom attendant
Ancestry of “messboy”, step by step
messboy traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English mess
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | mess | A disagreeable mixture or confusion of things;... |
| 2 | Middle English | mes | serving |
| 3 | Old French | mes | but; my |
| 4 | Latin | magis | more; more greatly; better |
| 5 | Dutch | magisch | magical, controlled or determined by supernatural... |
| 6 | Dutch | magie | magic, sorcery occult woo, black or white magic, etc.; hence supernatural occurrences or phenonomena |
| 7 | French | magie | magic; A magical, surprising, fascinating feat;... |
| 8 | Middle French | magie | — |
| 9 | Latin | magīa | magic, sorcery |
| 10 | Ancient Greek | μαγεία | theology of the Magians |
| 11 | Ancient Greek | Μάγος | magician, and derogatorily sorcerer, trickster,... |
| 12 | Old Persian | 𐎶𐎦𐏁 | priest |
| 13 | Proto-Iranian | magúš | — |
| 14 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | magʰúš | — |
| 15 | Proto-Indo-European | megʰ-ú-s | — |
via English boy
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | boy | A young male; A male child: a son of any age; A... |
| 2 | Middle English | boye | servant, commoner, knave, boy |
| 3 | Old English | bōia | boy |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | bōjô | younger brother, young male relation |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | bō- | A stem meaning "father, brother, close male... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰā- | to say |