musk

musk · noun, verb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*múHs“mouse”
2. Sanskrit · derived fromमुष्क“testicle”
3. Middle Persian · derived from[script needed]
4. Ancient Greek · derived fromμόσχος
5. Late Latin · derived frommuscus
6. Old French · derived frommusc
7. Middle English · inherited frommuske
8. English todaymusk

From Middle English muske, borrowed from Old French musc, from Late Latin muscus, from Ancient Greek μόσχος (móskhos), from Middle Persian [script needed] (mwšk' /⁠muʃk⁠/) whence Persian مشک (mošk). Ultimately from Sanskrit मुष्क (muṣka, “testicle”), the shape of the gland of animals secreting the substance being compared to human testicles, a diminutive of मूष् (mūṣ, “mouse”), the shape of human testicles being compared to mice, from Proto-Indo-European *múHs (“mouse”). Cognate with mouse.

Musk · proper noun²

1. Middle Dutch · derived frommussche
2. Dutch · derived fromMusch
3. Middle English · derived frommuske“musk”
4. Middle English · derived frommust“must (fermenting juice)”
5. English todayMusk

* English (mainly Suffolk): variant of Must, itself as a surname of English origin from Middle English must (“must (fermenting juice)”). * English (mainly Suffolk): alternatively perhaps in some cases from Middle English muske (“musk”). * Americanized form of Dutch Musch, from Middle Dutch mussche (“sparrow”; modern Dutch mus). * Dutch: nickname or metonymic occupational name from muskus (“musk”).

Words from the same roots