Where does “mum's the word” come from?
mum's the word (English) comes from English mum, from English chrysanthemum, from Latin chrysanthemum, from Ancient Greek χρυσάνθεμον, from Ancient Greek ἄνθεμον — flower, rosette.
Ancestry of “mum's the word”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | mum | Mother; ma'am; a term of respect for an older... |
| 2 | English | chrysanthemum | Any of many flowering perennial plants, of the... |
| 3 | Latin | chrysanthemum | — |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | χρυσάνθεμον | gold-flower; immortelle; buttercup |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | ἄνθεμον | flower, rosette |