An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Musteil

by Friedrich Kluge

Musteil, m. and n., allied to Mus (Gemüse), “half the stock of provisions left on the death of a husband, and what remains thirty days later when an inventory is made; one half belongs to the widow and the other to the heirs” (Lessing); the share of the widow is called Musteil. Even in MidHG. (in the MidG. of the Saxon Code) musteile for *muosteile occurs.