An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Mus

by Friedrich Kluge

Mus, n., ‘pap, porridge, connection of fruit,’ from MidHG. and OHG. muos, n., ‘cooked food, espec. pap-like food; food, meal’; OSax. and AS. môs, n., ‘food.’ The assumed Goth. *môsa-, ‘food,’ may be connected with mati-, ‘food,’ while *môsa- may represent *môtta- with a dental suffix; in that case the root would be Teut. mat, pre-Teut. mā̆d, ‘to cook, prepare food’ (for Goth. mats, ‘food,’ see Messer and mästen). To this is allied Gemüse, ‘vegetables,’ from MidHG. gemüese (OHG. *gimuosi), n., which as a derivative presumes the more general sense of OHG. muos. See Musteil.