Where does “camouflage” come from?
camouflage (French) comes from French camoufler, from French camouflet, from Italian camuffare, from Italian muffare, from Medieval Latin muffula, from Frankish molfell, from Middle High German mol, from Old High German mol — to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange.
camouflage (French): camouflage
Ancestry of “camouflage”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | French | camoufler | to camouflage |
| 2 | French | camouflet | snub, affront; camouflet |
| 3 | Italian | camuffare | To disguise; To hide |
| 4 | Italian | muffare | to become mouldy |
| 5 | Medieval Latin | muffula | a muff; muff |
| 6 | Frankish | molfell | soft garment made of hide |
| 7 | Middle High German | mol | — |
| 8 | Old High German | mol | — |
| 9 | Proto-Germanic | mulô | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | molh₂-o- | — |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | melh₂- | to grind, to crush |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | mel- | soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub |
| 13 | Proto-Indo-European | mey- | to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange |
Words derived from “camouflage”