An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Meisch

by Friedrich Kluge

Meisch, masculine, Meische, feminine, ‘mash,’ from Middle High German meisch, masculine, ‘grape mash,’ also ‘mead, drink mixed with honey’; allied to English mash, which by chance not recorded in Anglo-Saxon and Middle English. It is very likely related by gradation to mischen, if the latter, as is probable, is a genuine Teutonic word; compare Middle English mâschien and the equivalent English to mash. With this agrees the further assumption that Middle High German meisch, ‘mead,’ is primitively allied to Old Slovenian mězga, ‘tree-juice’ (for Old Slovenian zg, equivalent to Teutonic sk, see mischen and Masche).