muster

The story

1. Latin · derived frommōnstrō“to show”
2. Middle French · derived frommonstrer
3. Anglo-Norman · derived frommostrer
4. Middle English · inherited frommusteren
5. English todaymuster

From Middle English musteren, borrowed from Anglo-Norman mostrer, Middle French monstrer, moustrer (whence the noun monstre, which gave the English noun), from Latin mōnstrō (“to show”), from moneō (“to admonish”). Cognate with French montrer (“to show”), Italian mostrare (“to show”), Spanish mostrar (“to show”). See also monster.

First known use, by meaning

• from 14th c. An assemblage or display; a gathering, collection of people or things.
• from 15th c. An assembling or review of troops, as for parade, verification of numbers, inspection, exercise, or introduction into service.
• from 19th c. A roundup of livestock for inspection, branding, drenching, shearing etc.
• 15th–19th c. Something shown for imitation; a pattern.
• 15th–17th c. An act of showing something; a display.
• 15th–17th c. To show, exhibit.
• from 15th c. To be gathered together for parade, inspection, exercise, or the like (especially of a military force); to come together as parts of a force or body.
• from 15th c. To collect, call or assemble together, such as troops or a group for inspection, orders, display etc.