Where does “musk” come from?
Musk comes from Middle English muske, from Old French musc, from Late Latin muscus, from Ancient Greek μόσχος, from Middle Persian mwšk', from Sanskrit मुष्क्, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European muh₂s.
musk (English): A greasy secretion with a powerful odour,...
Definitions
- A greasy secretion with a powerful odour,...
Ancestry of “musk”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | muske | musk; A kind of plant juice |
| 2 | Old French | musc | — |
| 3 | Latin | mūscus | — |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | μόσχος | young shoot or twig; leafstalk, petiole; calf,... |
| 5 | Middle Persian | mwšk' | musk |
| 6 | Sanskrit | मुष्क | testicle, scrotum |
| 7 | Sanskrit | मूष् | mouse; "stealer", "thief" |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | múh₂s | mouse |
Words derived from “musk”