Where does “motto” come from?
motto (Italian) comes from Latin muttum, from Latin muttire — present active infinitive of muttiō; mutter, make...
motto (Italian): witty remark; motto, maxim; posy
Definitions
- witty remark; motto, maxim; posy
Ancestry of “motto”, step by step
motto traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Latin muttum
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | muttum | A mutter, a grunt |
| 2 | Latin | muttire | present active infinitive of muttiō; mutter, make... |
via Late Latin muttum
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Late Latin | muttum | sound; A mutter, a grunt |