Where does “mouthpiece” come from?
Mouthpiece derives from English mouth and piece, with piece coming from Middle English pece, Old French piece, and Latin pettia, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European men-.
mouthpiece (English): A part of any device that functions in or near...
Definitions
- A part of any device that functions in or near...
Ancestry of “mouthpiece”, step by step
mouthpiece traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English piece
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | piece | A part of a larger whole, usually in such a form... |
| 2 | Middle English | pece | piece; morsel; bit |
| 3 | Old French | piece | piece, bit, part; circa 1170, Chrétien de Troyes |
| 4 | Vulgar Latin | pettia | piece, portion |
| 5 | Latin | pettia | piece, portion |
| 6 | Gaulish | pettyā | — |
| 7 | Proto-Celtic | kʷezdis | piece, portion |
via English mouth
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | mouth | The opening of a creature through which food is... |
| 2 | Middle English | mouþ | Alternative form of mouth |
| 3 | Old English | mūþ | mouth, opening, door, gate |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *munþ | mouth |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | munþaz | mouth |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | men- | to think, mind; spiritual activity; to stay,... |