Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “moisture” come from?

Moisture comes from Middle English moisture, Old French moistour and moisteur, from Latin mustum meaning new wine or must, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European mus-.

moisture (English): That which moistens or makes damp or wet; exuding...

Definitions

  1. That which moistens or makes damp or wet; exuding...

Ancestry of “moisture”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishmoisturemoistness, wetness; moisture, humidity; fluid,...
2Old FrenchmoistourAlternative form of moisteur; moisture, dampness,...
3Old Frenchmoisteurmoistness
4Old Frenchmoistedamp; wet; clammy; moist
5Vulgar Latinmucidusmoldy, musty; sniveling
6Latinmucidusmoldy, musty; sniveling
7Latinmūceō—
8Latinmūcus—
9Proto-Italicmoukos—
10Proto-Indo-Europeanmew-k-slimy, slippery; slip, slime

Words derived from “moisture”

  • moisturizer
  • moisturize
  • moisturise
  • moisturization
  • moistureproof
  • moistureless
  • moisturisation
  • moistured
  • remoisturize
  • antimoisture
  • overmoisture
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mew-k- →