Where does “musc” come from?
musc (Old French) comes from Latin mūscus, from Ancient Greek μόσχος, from Middle Persian mwšk', from Sanskrit मुष्क, from Sanskrit मूष्, from Proto-Indo-European múh₂s — mouse.
Ancestry of “musc”, step by step
musc traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Latin mūscus
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | mūscus | moss |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | μόσχος | young shoot or twig; leafstalk, petiole; calf,... |
| 3 | Middle Persian | mwšk' | musk |
| 4 | Sanskrit | मुष्क | testicle, scrotum |
| 5 | Sanskrit | मूष् | mouse; "stealer", "thief" |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | múh₂s | mouse |
via Late Latin muscus
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Late Latin | muscus | musk; moss |