Where does “موش‌علی” come from?

موش‌علی (Persian) comes from Persian موش, from Middle Persian mwšk', from Sanskrit मुष्क, from Sanskrit मूष्, from Proto-Indo-European múh₂s — mouse.

موش‌علی (Persian): (derogatory nickname used by opponents of the Islamic Republic) a mocking and insulting epithet for Ali Khamenei, implying that he hides like a mouse in a bunker during times of crisis, protests, or military threats

Definitions

  1. (derogatory nickname used by opponents of the Islamic Republic) a mocking and insulting epithet for Ali Khamenei, implying that he hides like a mouse in a bunker during times of crisis, protests, or military threats

Ancestry of “موش‌علی”, step by step

موش‌علی traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Persian موش

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Persianموشmouse; rat
2Middle Persianmwšk'musk
3Sanskritमुष्कtesticle, scrotum
4Sanskritमूष्mouse; "stealer", "thief"
5Proto-Indo-Europeanmúh₂smouse

via Persian علی

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Persianعلیhigh
2Arabicعَلِيّto be high, exalted; Ali; exalted, noble; to be...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European múh₂s →Every word from Sanskrit मूष् →Every word from Sanskrit मुष्क →