Where does “mecha” come from?
mecha (Portuguese) comes from French mèche, from Old French mesche, from Vulgar Latin micca, from Latin mīca, from Proto-Italic smīkā, from Proto-Indo-European smēyg-, from Proto-Indo-European smē- — to rub; smear.
mecha (Portuguese): lock; wick
Ancestry of “mecha”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | French | mèche | wick; fuse; lock, tuft ; streak |
| 2 | Old French | mesche | — |
| 3 | Vulgar Latin | micca | — |
| 4 | Latin | mīca | — |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | smīkā | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | smēyg- | small, delicate, thin; twig, pole; crumb; small,... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | smē- | to rub; smear |