Etymology

muffin

M3U1F4F4I1N1

Today it means: A type of flattish bun, usually cut in two horizontally, toasted and spread with butter, etc., before being eaten. Full definition →

First used late 1800sLow German Muffe ← Middle Low German muffe
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muffin · noun, verb1

  1. Middle Low German · derived frommuffe“small pastry”
  2. Low German · borrowed fromMuffe
  3. English todaymuffin

From earlier moofin, probably a diminutive of Low German Muffe ("small cake"; Muffen (plural)), from Middle Low German muffe (“small pastry”). An alternative, and phonologically less plausible theory suggests a connection to Old French (pain) moflet (“roll”, literally “soft (bread)”). Sense “vulva” influenced by muff.

MUFFIN · verb2

After the MUFFIN program written by Rich Williams at Apple, supposed to be an acronym of move utility for files in NewDOS.

First known use, by meaning

  • late 1800s A young woman who would regularly accompany a particular man during a social season.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.