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muscle

Latin mūsculus means 'little mouse': a flexing muscle under the skin looked like a mouse moving. The same word gave English its shellfish 'mussel', German Muschel, and Spanish muslo 'thigh', while doctors spread the learned form across Europe.

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The road to English

From Latin to Old English, English

From Latin to Old High German, German

From Latin to Old Spanish

From Old French to French

From Latin to Italian

From Latin to Spanish

From Latin to Portuguese

From Latin to German, Russian

30 CELatin

Hops are evenly spaced; labels show the year each form is first attested.

The road to English

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