An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Moos

by Friedrich Kluge

Moos, neuter, ‘moss,’ from Middle High German and Old High German mos, neuter, ‘moss, moor, swamp’ (whence French mousse, ‘moss’); corresponding to Dutch mos, ‘moss,’ English moss, Old Icelandic mose, masculine, ‘moss, swamp,’ to which Old Icelandic mýrr (English mire), ‘slime,’ is allied. To these are related by gradation Anglo-Saxon meós, Old High German mios, Middle High German mies, masculine and neuter, ‘moss,’ whence also Modern High German Mies. The senses ‘moss, swamp,’ may be associated by the connecting link ‘mossy ground,’ hence the assumption of two originally different words is not required, *mosa-, ‘moss’ (by gradation *miusa, ‘moss,’ Old High German mios, Anglo-Saxon meós, ‘moss’), and mosa-, ‘swamp’ (by gradation *môsa, ‘moor,’ Old High German muor, compare Meos). Gothic *musa, by gradation *miusa-, ‘moss,’ is connected with Old Slovenian mŭchŭ ‘moss,’ Lithuanian mūsaí, ‘mould’ (on liquids), and Latin muscus, ‘moss,’ which has a derivative c for sc; and also with Greek μυῖα, ‘horse-fly,’ for μύσια, and μύαξ (for μύσαξ), ‘sea-mussel.’ The meaning ‘swamp’ is still current in Suabian and Bavarian; compare Dachauer Moos.