Where does “mishmash” come from?

Mishmash derives from Middle English mishmash, a reduplication of mash, which comes from Old English masc, from Proto-Germanic maskwǭ, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European mey-.

mishmash (English): A collection containing a variety of...

Definitions

  1. A collection containing a variety of...

Ancestry of “mishmash”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmashA mass of mixed ingredients reduced to a soft...
2Middle Englishmash—
3Old Englishmæsc—
4Proto-Germanicmaiskazmixture; a mash
5Proto-Indo-Europeanmoiḱ-sḱ-o/eh₂-—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanmeyḱ-to mix
7Proto-Indo-Europeanmey-to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mey- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European meyḱ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European moiḱ-sḱ-o/eh₂- →