Etymograph

English

mussel

Mussel comes from Late Latin muscula ‘mussel’, from Latin mūsculus ‘mussel, muscle’ (literally ‘little mouse’), and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *múHs ‘mouse’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*múHs‘mouse’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*mūs‘mouse’reconstructed
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmūs‘mouse’
  4. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmūsculus‘mussel’literally ‘little mouse’
  5. Late Latinc. 200–600 CEmuscula‘mussel’
  6. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*muskulāreconstructed
  7. Old Englishc. 450–1150muscle
  8. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
  9. Englishtodaymussel

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*múHs‘mouse’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*mūs‘mouse’reconstructed
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmūs‘mouse’
  4. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmūsculus‘mussel’literally ‘little mouse’
  5. Late Latinc. 200–600 CEmuscula‘mussel’
  6. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*muskulāreconstructed
  7. Old Englishc. 450–1150muscle
  8. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
  9. Englishtodaymussel

Linked words

pairs

  • mussel and muscle both from Latin mūsculus ‘a muscle’

through Proto-Indo-European *múHs ‘mouse’

mice, mouse, myelin, myocardium, 16 more

through Latin mūs ‘mouse’

murine, 10 more

through Latin mūsculus ‘mussel, muscle’

musculature, 5 more

Today it means

noun A saltwater mussel, usually edible, of the order Mytilida in subclass Pteriomorphia.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *múHs / mussel

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