Etymograph

English

mica

Mica comes from Latin mīca ‘grain, crumb’.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmīca‘grain, crumb’
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1899mica

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmīca‘grain, crumb’
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1899mica

Earliest quotation: 1899, Joseph Conrad, The Heart of Darkness: “His little eyes glittered like mica discs with curiosity,…”

Every English word from Latin mīca

Today it means

noun Any of a group of hydrous aluminosilicate minerals characterized by highly perfect cleavage, so that they readily separate into very thin leaves, more or less elastic.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Latin mīca / mica

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