An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Mause

by Friedrich Kluge

Mause, Mauser; f., ‘moulting, casting the skin, moulting season,’ from MidHG. mûȥe, f. (in compounds mûȥer). ‘mewing, moulting’; OHG. *mûȥȥa, f., ‘moulting,’ is not recorded; allied to OHG. mûȥȥôn, MidHG. mûȥen, ‘to exchange for,’ MidHG. also espec. ‘to moult, cast the skin.’ Borrowed before the OHG. period (contemporaneously with Käfig, Pfau, and Pips) from Lat. mûtâre, hence the permutation of t to ȥ (MidLat. mûta, ‘moulting’); sz has been preserved in Bav. maußen. From the same source are derived AS. bimûtian, ‘to change, exchange,’ MidE. moutin, E. to moult, as well as Fr. muer, ‘to moult,’ mue, ‘moulting.’