English
music
Music comes from Latin mūsica ‘music’, from Ancient Greek μουσική ‘any of the Muses’ arts, especially music’, from μουσικός ‘musical’, and ultimately from Μοῦσα ‘Muse’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEΜοῦσαMoûsa‘Muse’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEμουσικόςmousikós‘musical’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEμουσικήmousikḗ‘any of the Muses’ arts, especially music’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmūsica‘music’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400musik
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500musik
- Englishearliest quotation 1669music
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEΜοῦσαMoûsa‘Muse’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEμουσικόςmousikós‘musical’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEμουσικήmousikḗ‘any of the Muses’ arts, especially music’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmūsica‘music’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400musik
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500musik
- Englishearliest quotation 1669music
Earliest quotation: 1669, Theophilus Gale, Both Philologie and Philosophie: “Again, Moſes was the firſt that brought in ſacred…”
The story
In this sense, displaced native Old English drēam (‘music’), whence Modern English dream. Fully displaced Old English sweġl.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *men- ‘to think’
money, mind, amount, comment, mental, mouth, remain, mention, mountain, permanent, monster, auto, mount, min, monitor, museum, monetary, demonstration, mentor, monk, mint, monument, maya, dementia, monte, imminent, monastery, amnesty, eminent, summon, menace, ming, prominence, mas, mandarin, mantra, mont, mania, mosaic, remnant, 126 more
through Ancient Greek Μοῦσα ‘Muse’
Today it means
noun A series of sounds organized in time, usually employing some combination of harmony, melody, rhythm, tempo, timbre, sound design, lyrics, etc., often to convey a mood.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek Μοῦσα / music