Etymology Explorer › Old English

Where does “mæsc” come from?

mæsc (Old English) comes from Proto-Germanic maiskaz, from Proto-Indo-European moiḱ-sḱ-o/eh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European meyḱ-, from Proto-Indo-European mey- — to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange.

Ancestry of “mæsc”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Germanicmaiskazmixture; a mash
2Proto-Indo-Europeanmoiḱ-sḱ-o/eh₂-—
3Proto-Indo-Europeanmeyḱ-to mix
4Proto-Indo-Europeanmey-to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange

Words derived from “mæsc”

  • mash
  • mush
  • mushy
  • mashup
  • mishmash
  • masher
  • musher
  • mushiness
  • mashy
  • mushily
  • mashable
  • mushball
  • mushhead
  • mushlike
  • livermush
  • mushmouth
  • unmushy
  • apple-mush
  • mash
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mey- →