A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

Muscovy --- from Fr. Moscovie, from Mod.L. Moscovia, old name of Russia, from Rus. Moskova "(Principality of) Moscow." In Muscovy duck (1657) and certain other uses it is a corruption of musk.

Muse --- c.1374, protectors of the arts, from L. Musa, from Gk. Mousa, lit. "muse, music, song," from PIE root *mon-/*men-/*mn- "to think, remember" (see mind (n.)). The names of the nine Muses, daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne (q.v.), and their specialties are traditionally: Calliope (epic poetry), Clio (history), Erato (love poetry, lyric art), Euterpe (music, especially flute), Melpomene (tragedy), Polymnia (hymns), Terpsichore (dance), Thalia (comedy), Urania (astronomy).

muse (v.) --- to be absorbed in thought, 1340, from O.Fr. muser (12c.) "to ponder, loiter, waste time," lit. "to stand with one's nose in the air" (or, possibly, "to sniff about" like a dog who has lost the scent), from muse "muzzle," from Gallo-Romance *musa "snout," of unknown origin. Probably influenced in sense by Muse.

museum --- 1615, "the university building in Alexandria," from L. museum "library, study," from Gk. mouseion "place of study, library or museum," originally "a seat or shrine of the Muses," from Mousa "Muse." Earliest use in ref. to Eng. institutions was of libraries (e.g. the British Museum); sense of "building to display objects" first recorded 1683.

mush (interj.) --- command to sled dogs, first recorded 1862, as mouche, perhaps altered from Fr. marchons! "advance!" (imperative of marcher "to march").

mush (n.) --- kind of porridge, 1671, in the American colonies, variant of mash (v.). Meaning "anything soft and thick" is attested from 1824. First record of mushy "sentimental" is 1870; mush "sentimentality" is attested from 1908.

mushroom --- 1440 (attested as a surname, John Mussheron, from 1327), from Anglo-Fr. musherun, perhaps from L.L. mussirionem (nom. mussirio), though this may as well be borrowed from Fr. Barnhart says "of uncertain origin." Klein calls it "a word of pre-Latin origin, used in the North of France;" OED says it usually is held to be a derivative of Fr. mousse "moss," and Weekley agrees, saying it is properly "applied to variety which grows in moss." For the final -m he refers to grogram, vellum, venom. Used figuratively for "sudden appearance in full form" from 1590s. The verb meaning "expand or increase rapidly" is first recorded 1903. In ref. to the shape of clouds after explosions, etc., it is attested from 1916, though the actual phrase mushroom cloud does not appear until 1958.

music --- c.1250, from O.Fr. musique (12c.), from L. musica, from Gk. mousike techne "art of the Muses," from fem. of mousikos "pertaining to the Muses," from Mousa "Muse." In classical Greece, any art in which the Muses presided, but especially music. Meaning "film or theater piece of which song is an essential element" is from 1938. The use of letters to denote music notes is probably at least from ancient Greece, as their numbering system was ill-suited to the job. Natural scales begin at C (not A) because in ancient times the minor mode was more often used than the major one. The natural minor scale begins at A. To face the music "accept the consequences" is from 1850; the exact image is uncertain, one theory ties it to stage performers, another to cavalry horses having to be taught to stay calm while the regimental band plays. To make (beautiful) music with someone "have sexual intercourse" is from 1967. Children's game musical chairs is attested from 1877, hence use of musical as a modifier meaning "changing rapidly from one to another possessor" (1924). Musicology "the study of the science of music" is from 1909.

musicale --- 1872, from Fr. musicale, short for soirée musicale "musical evening (party)."

musician --- c.1374, "one skilled in music," from music (q.v.). Sense of "professional musical performer" first recorded c.1450.

musk --- 1398, from O.Fr. musc (13c.), from L.L. muscus, from Late Gk. moskhos, from Pers. mushk, from Skt. muska-s "testicle," from mus "mouse" (so called, presumably, for resemblance; see muscle). The deer gland was thought to resemble a scrotum. Ger. has moschos, from a M.L. form of the Late Gk. word. Sp. has almizcle, from Arabic al misk "the musk," from Persian. Applied to various plants and animals of similar smell (e.g. musk-ox, 1744).

muskellunge --- large N.Amer. pike, 1789, from Algonquian (Ojibwa) maashkinoozhe; the second element kinoozhe "pike;" the first either mac "great," maazh- "similar to," or maazh- "ugly." Altered by Fr. folk etymology as masque allongé "long mask." Called muskie for short (1894).

musket --- firearm for infantry, c.1587, from M.Fr. mousquette, a kind of sparrow-hawk, dim. of mosca "a fly," from L. musca (see midge). The hawk so called either for its size or because it looks speckled when in flight. Early firearms were often given names of beasts (cf. dragoon), and the equivalent word was used in It. to mean "an arrow for a crossbow." The M.Fr. word was borrowed earlier (c.1425) in its literal sense of "sparrow-hawk." Musketeer "soldier armed with a musket" is 1590, from Fr. mousquetaire, from mousquette.

muskrat --- 1607, alteration (by association with musk and rat) of Algonquian (probably Powhatan) muscascus, lit. "it is red," so called for its colorings. From cognate Abenaki muskwessu comes variant form musquash (1624).

Muslim --- 1615 (n.), 1777 (adj.), from Arabic muslim "one who submits" (to the faith), from root of alsama "he resigned." Related to Islam (q.v.).

muslin --- 1609, "delicately woven cotton fabric," from Fr. mousseline, from It. mussolina, from Mussolo "Mosul," city in northern Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) where muslin was made, from Arabic al-Mawsul, lit. "the joined," a reference to the bridge and ford over the Tigris here. Like many fabric names, it has changed meaning over the years, in this case from luxurious to commonplace. In 13c. O.Fr., mosulin meant "cloth of silk and gold." The meaning "everyday cotton fabric for shirts, bedding, etc." is U.S., 1872.

muss (v.) --- to make untidy, 1837, probably a variant of mess in its sense of "disorder." Earlier (1830) as a noun meaning "disturbance."

mussel --- O.E. muscle, musscel, from L.L. muscula (cf. O.Fr. musle, modern Fr. moule), from L. musculus "mussel," lit. "little mouse," also "muscle;" like muscle, derived from mus "mouse" on the perceived similarity of size and shape. The modern spelling, distinguishing the word from muscle, first recorded 1610, not fully established until 1870s.

Mussulman --- a Muslim, 1563, from Turk. musulman, from Pers. musulman (adj.), from Arabic muslim (q.v.) + adj. suffix -an.

must (n1.) --- new wine, O.E. must, from L. mustum, short for vinum mustum "fresh wine," neut. of mustus "fresh, new."

must (n2.) --- mold, 1602, perhaps a back-formation of musty (q.v.).

must (n3.) --- male elephant frenzy, 1871, from Urdu mast "intoxicated, in rut," from Pers. mast, lit. "intoxicated," related to Skt. matta- "drunk, intoxicated," pp. of madati "boils, bubbles, gets drunk," from PIE base *mad- "wet, to drip."

must (v.) --- O.E. moste, pt. of motan "have to, be able to," from P.Gmc. *motanan "to fix, allot, appoint, to have room, to be able" (cf. O.Fris. mota, M.L.G. moten, Du. moeten, Ger. müssen "to be obliged to," Goth. gamotan "to have room to, to be able to"), from PIE base *med- "to measure." Used as present tense from c.1300, from the custom of using past subjunctive as a moderate or polite form of the present. The noun meaning "something that has to be seen or experienced" is from 1892.

mustache --- 1585, from Fr. moustache, from It. mostaccio, from Medieval Gk. moustakion, dim. of Doric mystax (gen. mystakos) "upper lip, mustache," related to mastax "jaws, mouth," lit. "that with which one chews," from PIE base *mnto- "mouth" (see mouth). Borrowed earlier (1551) as mostacchi, from the It. word or its Sp. derivative mostacho. The plural form of this, mustachios, lingers in English. Dutch slang has a useful noun, de befborstel, to refer to the mustache specifically as a tool for stimulating the clitoris; probably from beffen "to stimulate the clitoris with the tongue."

mustang --- small, half-wild horse of the Amer. prairie, 1808, from Mex.Sp. mestengo "animal that strays," from Sp. mestengo "wild, stray, ownerless," lit. "belonging to the mesta," an association of cattle ranchers who divided stray or unclaimed animals that got "mixed" with the herds, from L. mixta "mixed," fem. pp. of miscere "to mix" (see mix). Said to be influenced by the Sp. word mostrenco, which is of obscure origin and meaning.

mustard --- 1190, from O.Fr. moustarde, from moust "must," from L. mustum "new wine" (see must (n.1)); so called because it was originally prepared by adding must to the ground seeds of the plant to make a paste. As a color name, it is attested from 1848. Mustard gas, World War I poison (first used by the Germans at Ypres, 1917), so called for its color and smell and burning effect on eyes and lungs; chemical name is dichlordiethyl sulfide, it contains no mustard, and is an atomized liquid, not a gas. To cut the mustard (1907, usually in negative) is probably from slang mustard "genuine article, best thing" (1903) on notion of "that which enhances flavor."

mustee --- octoroon, also "half-caste," 1699, a corruption of Sp. mestizo (q.v.).

muster (v.) --- c.1300, "to display, reveal, appear," from O.Fr. mostrer (modern Fr. montrer), from L. monstrare "to show," from monstrum "omen, sign" (see monster). Noun meaning "act of gathering troops" is c.1400. To pass musters (1575) originally meant "to undergo military review without censure." To muster out "gather to be discharged from military service" is 1834, Amer.Eng. To muster up in the fig. and transf. sense of "gather, summon, marshal" is from 1628.

musty --- 1530, perhaps a variant of moisty "moist, damp" (see moist).

mutable --- c.1374, "liable to change," from O.Prov. mutable, from L. mutabilis "changeable," from mutare "to change," from PIE base *mei- "to change, go, move" (cf. Skt. methati "changes, alternates, joins, meets;" Avestan mitho "perverted, false;" L. meare "to go, pass;" O.C.S. mite "alternately;" Czech mijim "to go by, pass by," Pol. mijam "avoid;" Goth. maidjan "to change;" Hitt. mutai- "to be changed into"); with derivatives refering to the exchange of goods and services within a society as regulated by custom or law (cf. L. mutuus "done in exchange," munus "service performed for the community, duty, work").

mutant (n.) --- 1901, in the biological sense, from L. mutantem (nom. mutans) "changing," prp. of mutare "to change" (see mutable). In the science fiction sense, it is attested from 1954.

mutation --- c.1374, "action of changing," from L. mutationem (nom. mutatio) "a changing," from mutatus, pp. of mutare "to change" (see mutable). Genetic sense is from 1894. Verb mutate "to change state or condition" is first recorded 1818 (in genetic sense, 1913), from L. mutatus.

mutatis mutandis --- 1498, "with the necessary changes," from L., lit. "things being changed that have to be changed," from the abl. pl. respectively of the pp. and gerundive of mutare "to change" (see mutable).

mute --- c.1374, mewet, "silent," from O.Fr. muet, dim. of mut, mo, from L. mutus "silent, dumb," probably from imitative base *mu- (cf. Skt. mukah "dumb," Gk. myein "to be shut," of the mouth). Assimilated in form in 16c. to L. mutus. The verb is first attested 1861. Musical noun sense first recorded 1811, of stringed instruments, 1841, of horns.

mutilation --- 1525, in Scots law, "act of disabling or wounding a limb," from L.L. mutilationem (from mutilatio), from L. mutilatus, pp. of mutilare "to cut or lop off," from mutilus "maimed," which is perhaps cognate with Gk. mytilos "hornless." Of things, "to destroy the unity of by damaging or removing a part," it is recorded from 1638.

mutiny (n.) --- 1567, from obsolete verb mutine "revolt" (1545), from M.Fr. mutiner "to revolt," from meutin "rebellious," from meute "a revolt, movement," from V.L. *movita "A military uprising," from fem. pp. of movere "to move" (see move). The verb is attested from 1584. Mutineer (n.) is 1610, from Fr. mutinier (16c.).

mutt --- 1901, "stupid or foolish person," probably a shortening of muttonhead (1803); meaning "a dog," especially "a mongrel" is from 1904, originally simply a term of contempt.

Mutt and Jeff --- comic strip characters Augustus Mutt and Jim Jeffries, in U.S. cartoonist Henry Conway ("Bud") Fisher's strip, which debuted in 1907. Used allusively from 1917 in ref. to "a pair of stupid men, affable losers," or to one tall (Mutt) and one short (Jeff).

mutter --- c.1374, from a common PIE imitative *mut- "to grunt, mutter" (cf. O.N. muðla "to murmur," L. muttire "to mutter"), with freq. suffix -er.

mutton --- flesh of sheep used as food, c.1290, from O.Fr. moton "ram, wether, sheep" (Fr. mouton), from M.L. multonem (8c.), probably from Gaulish *multo-s, acc. of *multo (cf. O.Ir. molt "wether," Mid-Breton mout, Welsh mollt). Transf. slang sense of "food for lust, loose women, prostitutes" (1518) led to extensive British slang uses down to the present day for woman variously regarded as seeking lovers or as lust objects.

mutual --- 1477, originally of feelings, from M.Fr. mutuel (14c.), from L. mutuus "reciprocal, done in exchange," from PIE base *mei- "to change" (see mutable).

Muzak --- 1938, proprietary name for piped music, supposedly a blend of music and Kodak, said to have been coined c.1922 by Gen. George Squier, who developed the system of background music for workplaces.

muzzle --- c.1386, "device put over an animal's mouth to stop it from biting, eating, or rooting," from O.Fr. musel (12c.), from muse "muzzle," from Gallo-Romance *musa "snout," of unknown origin, possibly related to L. morsus "bite." Meaning "projecting part of the head of an animal" is from c.1410; sense of "open end of a firearm" first recorded 1566. The verb meaning "to put a muzzle on" is first recorded c.1470.

my --- developed c.1200 as mi, reduced form of mine used before words beginning in consonants except h- (my father, but mine enemy), and before all nouns beginning 14c. As interjection, 18c., probably a shortened form of my God!

myalgia --- muscular pain, 1860, coined in Mod.L. (on analogy of neuralgia) from Gk. mys "muscle" + algos "pain."

Mycenaean --- 1598, "pertaining to Mycenae," the ancient city on the Argive plain, from L. Mycenaeus, from Gk. Mykenaios "of Mycenae," from Mykenai. In ref. to the Aegean civilization that flourished 1500-1100 B.C.E. and was centered on Mycenae, it is from 1890s.

mycology --- 1836, coined from Gk. mykes "fungus" (from PIE base *(s)meuq- "to slip, slippery, slimy;" see mucus) + -logia "study."

Mylar --- proper name for a polyester film, 1954, trademarked by E.I. Du Pont de Nemours and Co., Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A. Like many Du Pont names, it doesn't mean anything, they just liked the sound.

mynah --- type of passerine bird of India and the East, "talking starling," 1769, from Hindi maina "a starling," from Skt. madana-s "love, passion," with a special sense of "bird."

myomancy --- 1725, divination by the movements of mice, from Gk. myo-, comb. form of mys (see mouse) + -mancy, from Gk. manteia "oracle, divination" (see -mancy).

myopia --- 1727, medical L., from Late Gk. myopia "near-sightedness," from myops "near-sighted," from myein "to shut" + ops (gen. opos) "eye."

myriad --- 1555, from M.Fr. myriade, from L.L. myrias (gen. myriadis) "ten thousand," from Gk. myrias (gen. myriados) "ten thousand," from myrios "innumerable, countless," of unknown origin. Specific use is usually in translations from Gk. or Latin.

myrmidon --- c.1400, from L. Myrmidones (pl.), from Gk. Myrmidones, Thessalian tribe led by Achilles to the Trojan War, fabled to have been ants changed into men, from Gk. myrmex "ant." Transferred sense of "faithful follower" is from 1610.

myrrh --- O.E. myrre, from L. myrrha, from Gk. myrrha, from a Sem. source (cf. Akkadian murru, Heb. mor, Ar. murr "myrrh"), from a root meaning "was bitter."

myrtle --- c.1400, from O.Fr. mirtile, from M.L. myrtillus, dim. of myrtus "myrtle tree," from Gk. myrtos, from same Sem. source as Gk. myrrha (see myrrh).

myself --- O.E., from phrase ic me self, where me is "a kind of ethical dative" [OED], altered in Middle Ages from meself on analogy of herself, with her- felt as gen.; though analogous hisself remains bad form.

mystagogue --- person who initiates into mysteries, c.1550, from Gk. mystes "one initiated into the mysteries" (see mystery) + agogos "leading, a leader" (see act).

mysterious --- 1616, "full of mystery," from L. mysterium (see mystery (1)).

mystery (1) --- c.1315, in a theological sense, "religious truth via divine revelation, mystical presence of God," from Anglo-Fr. *misterie (O.Fr. mistere), from L. mysterium, from Gk. mysterion (usually in pl. mysteria) "secret rite or doctrine," from mystes "one who has been initiated," from myein "to close, shut," perhaps referring to the lips (in secrecy) or to the eyes (only initiates were allowed to see the sacred rites). The Gk. word was used in Septuagint for "secret counsel of God," translated in Vulgate as sacramentum. Non-theological use in English, "a hidden or secret thing," is from c.1300. In ref. to the ancient rites of Greece, Egypt, etc. it is attested from 1643. Meaning "detective story" first recorded in Eng. 1908.

mystery (2) --- handicraft, trade, art, c.1375, from M.L. misterium, alt. of L. ministerium "service, occupation, office, ministry" (see ministry), influenced in form by M.L. mysterium (see mystery (1)) and in sense by maistrie "mastery." Now only in mystery play, in ref. to the medieval performances, which often were staged by members of craft guilds. The two senses of mystery formed a common pun in (secular) Tudor theater.

mystic (adj.) --- 1382, "spiritually allegorical, pertaining to mysteries of faith," from O.Fr. mistique, from L. mysticus, from Gk. mystikos "secret, mystic," from mystes "one who has been initiated" (see mystery (1)). Meaning "pertaining to occult practices or ancient religions" first recorded 1615. The noun meaning "exponent of mystical theology" is from 1679, from the adjective. The place name in Connecticut is deformed from Algonquian missituk "great tidal river," from missi "large" + -tuk "tidal river." Mysticism coined 1736.

mystify --- 1814, from Fr. mystifier (1772), a verb formed irregularly from mystique "a mystic," from L. mysticus (see mystic).

mystique --- 1891, "atmosphere of mystery," from Fr. mystique "a mystic," from L. mysticus (see mystic).

myth --- 1830, from Gk. mythos "speech, thought, story, myth," of unknown origin.

mythology --- 1412, "exposition of myths," from M.Fr. mythologie, from L.L. mythologia, from Gk. mythologia "legendary lore," from mythos "myth" (of unknown origin) + -logy "study." Meaning "a body of myths" first recorded 1781.

N --- in nickname, newt, and Brit. dial. naunt, the -n- belongs to a preceding indefinite article an or possessive pronoun mine. Other examples of this from M.E. manuscripts include a neilond ("an island," c.1220), a narawe ("an arrow," c.1400), a noke ("an oak," c.1420), a nappyle ("an apple," c.1420). The process also worked in surnames, from oblique cases of O.E. at "by, near," e.g. Nock/Nokes/Noaks from atten Oke "by the oak;" Nye from atten ye "near the lowland." The loss of it to a preceding a is more common: apron, auger, adder, umpire, humble pie, etc. The mathematical use of n for "an indefinite number" is first recorded 1852, in to the nth power.

N.B. --- 1673, L. abbreviation of nota bene "note well."

n.g. --- abbreviation of no good, attested from 1838; variant n.b.g. for no bloody good is first recorded 1903.

NAACP --- abbreviation of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, first attested 1910. Organization founded Feb. 12, 1909, as National Negro Committee.

Naaman --- masc. proper name, biblical name of Aramean general cured of leprosy by Elisha, from Heb. Na'aman, lit. "pleasantness," from stem of na'em "was pleasant or lovely."

nab (v.) --- to catch (someone), 1686, probably a variant of dial. nap to seize, catch, lay hold of" (1673, now surviving only in kidnap), which is possibly from Scand. (cf. Norw. nappe "to catch, snatch;" Swed. nappa; Dan. nappe "to pinch, pull"), reinforced by M.E. napand "grasping, greedy."

nabob --- 1612, "deputy governor in Mogul Empire," Anglo-Indian, from Hindi nabab, from Arabic nuwwab, honorific pl. of na'ib "viceroy, deputy," from base n-w-b "to take someone's place." Also used of Europeans who came home from India having made a fortune there, hence "very rich man" (1764).

nacho --- according to "The Dallas Morning News" [Oct. 22, 1995], named for restaurant cook Ignacio Anaya, who invented the dish in the Mexican border town of Piedras Negras in 1943.

nacre (n.) --- 1598, "type of shellfish that yields mother-of-pearl," from M.Fr., from It. naccaro (now nacchera), possibly ult. from Arabic nakara "to hollow out," in ref. to the shape of the mollusk shell. Meaning "mother-of-pearl" is from 1718.

nada --- slang, "nothing," 1933, introduced by Hemingway, from Sp., "nothing," from L. (res) nata "small, insignificant thing," lit. "(thing) born."

nadir --- c.1391, in astronomical sense, from M.L. nadir, from Arabic nazir "opposite to," in nazir as-samt, lit. "opposite of the zenith," from nazir "opposite" + as-samt "zenith" (see zenith). Transf. sense of "lowest point (of anything)" is first recorded 1793.

nag (n.) --- old horse, c.1400, nagge "small riding horse," of unknown origin, perhaps related to Du. negge, neg (but these are more recent than the Eng. word). Term of abuse is a transferred sense, first recorded 1598.

nag (v.) --- annoy by scolding, 1828, originally a dialectal word, probably ultimately from a Scand. source (cf. O.N. gnaga "to complain," lit. "to bite, gnaw," dial. Swed. and Norw. nagga "to gnaw") related to O.E. gnagan "to gnaw" (see gnaw).

naiad --- water nymph, 1610, from L. naias (gen. naiadis), from Gk. Naias (pl. Naiades) "river nymph," from naiein "to flow," from PIE *sna- (cf. L. nare "to swim," Skt. snauti "drips;" see natatorium).

naif (adj.) --- 1598, from Fr. naïf, lit. "naive" (see naive). As a noun, first attested 1893.

nail --- O.E. negel "metal pin," nægl "fingernail (O.E. handnægl), toenail," from P.Gmc. *naglaz (cf. O.H.G. nagel, O.Fris. neil, M.Du. naghel, Ger. Nagel "fingernail, small metal spike"), from PIE base *(o)nogh "nail" (cf. Gk. onyx, L. unguis "nail, claw," O.C.S. noga "foot," Lith. naga "hoof," O.C.S. noguti "nail, claw," Lith. nagutis "fingernail," O.Ir. ingen, O.Welsh eguin "nail, claw"). The "fingernail" sense seems to be the original one. The verb is O.E. næglian, from P.Gmc. *ganaglijanan. Meaning "to catch, seize" is first recorded 1766. To bite one's nails as a sign of anxiety is attested from 1577. To hit the nail on the head "say or do just the right thing" is first recorded 1529.

naive --- 1654, from Fr. naïve, fem. of naïf, from O.Fr. naif "naive, natural, just born," from L. nativus "not artificial," also "native, rustic," lit. "born, innate, natural" (see native). Naiveté is 1673, from Fr. naïveté, from O.Fr. naiveté "native disposition." Anglicized form naivety is attested from 1708.

naked --- O.E. nacod "nude," also "not fully clothed," from P.Gmc. *nakwathaz (cf. O.Fris. nakad, M.Du. naket, Du. naakt, Ger. nackt, O.N. nökkviðr, O.Swed. nakuþer, Goth. naqaþs "naked"), from PIE base *neogw- "naked" (cf. Skt. nagna, Hittite nekumant-, L. nudus, Lith. nuogas, O.C.S. nagu-, O.Ir. nocht, Welsh noeth). Applied to qualities, actions, etc., from late 14c. (first in "The Cloud of Unknowing"); phrase naked truth is from 1585, in Alexander Montgomerie's "The Cherry and the Slae").