Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “muddle” come from?

muddle (English) comes from Middle Dutch moddelen, from Middle Dutch modde, from Proto-Germanic mud-, from Proto-Indo-European mū- — fly, mosquito; fly, midge; lips, muzzle.

muddle (English): To mix together, to mix up; to confuse; To mash...

Definitions

  1. To mix together, to mix up; to confuse; To mash...

Ancestry of “muddle”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Dutchmoddelento make muddy
2Middle Dutchmodde—
3Proto-Germanicmud-—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanmū-fly, mosquito; fly, midge; lips, muzzle

Words derived from “muddle”

  • muddling
  • muddleheaded
  • muddler
  • muddleheadedness
  • muddlehead
  • muddly
  • bemuddle
  • muddledom
  • muddlingly
  • muddlesome
  • muddleheadedly
  • muddle-headed
  • muddliness
  • muggle
  • remuddle
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mū- →