Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/mūk-

This Proto-Germanic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Germanic

Alternative forms

*muk-, *mug-

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *(s)mewgʰ- (“to conceal, swindle, thieve”). Cognate with Latin mūger (“cheater, swindler”), Old Irish formúighte, formúchthae (“hidden”). (Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

The forms with geminate *-kk- and its voicing alternation with *-gg- may point to an original n-suffix in pre-Germanic, likely iterative *(s)mugʰ-néh₂-ti which resulted in Proto-Germanic *mukkōną ~ *muggōną, whence the other terms were derived; long *-ū- likely formed for compensatory lengthening upon the degemination of a following *-kk- to *-k-.

Verb

*mūk-, *muk-, *mug-

to lie in ambush; skulk; hide; waylay
to steal; rob

Derived terms

*muggaz
- Old Norse: *muggr
  - Norwegian: mugg (dialectal)
*mūkārijaz, *mukārijaz
*mukjaną
- Proto-West Germanic: *mukkjan
  - → Old French: mucer; mucier, muchier
    - Middle French: musser
      - French: musser
      - Norman: muchi (Jèrriais), muchier (Guernésiais)
    - → Middle English: mouchen, moochen
      - English: mooch
  - → Walloon: muchi
*mukklōną
- Proto-West Germanic: *mukklōn
  - >? Dutch: mokkelen (“to flatter”)
*mūkil-, *mugil-
- Proto-West Germanic: *mūkil
  - Old Saxon: *mūkil
    - ⇒ Middle Low German: mü̂chelisch (“concealed, hidden, secret”)
*mūkōną
- Proto-West Germanic: *mūkōn
  - Old English: *myċċan
    - Middle English: müchen, michen; müchere
      - Scots: mich, myche
      - English: miche, mitch; micher
  - Old High German: mūhhōn
    - Middle High German: mūchen
      - Alemannic German: mauchen
    - ⇒? *mūhhilōn
      - ⇒ mūhhilāri
      - ⇒ mūhhilswert
      - >? Middle High German: *miucheln, *mūcheln
        German: meucheln, maucheln (could also be a backformation from derivatives)
        >? German: mogeln (relation uncertain)
        → Low German: mogeln
        
        → Saterland Frisian: mogelje