Etymograph

English

mug

Mug comes from English mog ‘a measure of salt’.

  1. English1500–presentmog‘a measure of salt’
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1821mug

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. English1500–presentmog‘a measure of salt’
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1821mug

Earliest quotation: 1821, The Fancy: “Madgbury showed game, drove Abbot in a corner, but…”

The story

Early 16th century (originally Scots and northern English, denoting "earthenware, pot, jug"), of unknown origin, perhaps from North Germanic (compare Swedish mugg (‘mug, jug’), Norwegian mugge (‘pitcher, open can for warm drinks’), Danish mugge), or Low German mokke, mukke (‘mug’), German Low German Muck (‘drinking cup’), Dutch mok (‘mug’), also of unknown origin.uncertain The source flags this step as uncertain. Perhaps related to Old English muga (‘stack’) and Old Norse múgr (‘mass, heap (of corn)’).

Every English word from English mog

Today it means

noun A large cup for beverages, usually having a handle and used without a saucer.

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

Etymograph / English mog / mug

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