Where does “mum” come from?
mum (English) comes from English chrysanthemum, from Latin chrysanthemum, from Ancient Greek χρυσάνθεμον, from Ancient Greek ἄνθεμον — flower, rosette.
mum (English): Mother; ma'am; a term of respect for an older...
Definitions
- Mother; ma'am; a term of respect for an older...
Ancestry of “mum”, step by step
mum traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via English chrysanthemum
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | chrysanthemum | Any of many flowering perennial plants, of the... |
| 2 | Latin | chrysanthemum | — |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | χρυσάνθεμον | gold-flower; immortelle; buttercup |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ἄνθεμον | flower, rosette |
via Middle English mum
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | mum | — |
via German Mumme
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | Mumme | dative of Mumm; mask |