mob

mob · noun, verb¹

1. Latin · derived frommōbile“fickle (crowd)”
2. Middle English · inherited frommob
3. English todaymob

From Middle English mob, short for mobile, from Latin mōbile (vulgus) (“fickle (crowd)”).

mob · noun, verb²

Alteration of mab.

mob · noun³

Clipping of mobile. The video-gaming sense is sometimes reported as an abbreviation of man or beast or of mobile object, but these are backronyms.

Mob · proper noun⁴

From the common noun sense, capitalized and used as a proper name.

First known use, by meaning

• 17th–18th c. A promiscuous woman; a harlot or wench; a prostitute.