Where does “most” come from?
most (Middle High German) comes from Old High German most, from Latin mustum, from Latin mustus, from Proto-Indo-European mūs- — fly, stinging fly, gnat; moist, damp; swamp,...
Ancestry of “most”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old High German | most | must |
| 2 | Latin | mustum | must; unfermented or partially fermented grape... |
| 3 | Latin | mustus | fresh, young; unfermented |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | mūs- | fly, stinging fly, gnat; moist, damp; swamp,... |