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⇱ Mistletoe - Etymology, Origin & Meaning

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Origin and history of mistletoe

mistletoe(n.)

European plant growing parasitically on certain trees, Old English mistiltan, from mistel "mistletoe" (see missel) + tan "twig," from Proto-Germanic *tainan "twig" (source also of Old Saxon and Old Frisian ten, Old Norse teinn, Dutch teen, Old High German zein, Gothic tains "twig"). Similar formation in Old Norse mistilteinn, Norwegian misteltein, Danish mistelten.

Venerated by the Druids, especially when found growing on the oak, which it seldom does; the custom of hanging it at Christmas and kissing under it is mentioned by Washington Irving. The alteration of the ending according to Century Dictionary is perhaps from a mistaking of the final -n for a plural suffix after tan fell from use as a separate word, but OED finds it a natural evolution in West Saxon based on stress.

Entries linking to mistletoe

Old English mistel "basil, mistletoe," from Proto-Germanic *mikhstilaz "mistletoe" (source also of Old Saxon mistil, Dutch mistel, Old High German mistil, German Mistel, Swedish mistel), a word of uncertain origin. According to Watkins, it is a diminutive form, so called because it "is propagated through the droppings of the missel thrush," from Germanic suffixed form *mih-stu-, "urine," hence "mist, fine rain," from PIE root *meigh- "to urinate." Missel-bird "missel thrush" is attested from 1620s.

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to urinate."

It might form all or part of: micturate; micturition; missel; mist; mistletoe.

It might also be the source of: Sanskrit mehati "urinates;" Avestan maezaiti "urinates;" Greek omeikhein "to urinate;" Latin mingere "to urinate;" Armenian mizem "urinate;" Lithuanian minžu, minžti "urinate;" Old English migan "to urinate," micga "urine," meox "dung, filth."

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Hence, literally, perhaps, "they who know the oak" (perhaps in allusion to divination from mistletoe)....

poison," visah "poisonous;" Avestan vish- "poison;" Latin viscum "sticky substance, birdlime;" Greek ios "poison," ixos "mistletoe...

c. 1400, tannen, in part from late Old English tannian "convert hides into leather" (by steeping them in liquid containing tannin), from Medieval Latin tannare "tan, dye a tawny color" (c. 900), from tannum "crushed oak bark," used in tanning leather. This is believed to be from

"1 more than nine, twice five; the number which is one more than nine; a symbol representing this number;" Old English ten (Mercian), tien (West Saxon), adjective and noun, from Proto-Germanic *tehun (source also of Old Saxon tehan, Old Norse tiu, Danish ti, Old Frisian tian, Old

1650s (albo) "souvenir book," from Latin album, which in classical times was a board chalked or painted white, upon which public notices (the Annales Maximi, edicts of the praetor, lists of senators, etc.) were inscribed in black, hence "a list of names." Latin album is literally

late Old English, "intentionally untrue, lying," of religion, "not of the true faith, not in accord with Christian doctrines," from Old French fals, faus "false, fake; incorrect, mistaken; treacherous, deceitful" (12c., Modern French faux), from Latin falsus "deceptive, feigned,

"one who bears testimony to faith," especially "one who willingly suffers death rather than surrender his or her religious faith," specifically "one of the Christians who in former times were put to death because they would not renounce their beliefs," late Old English martyr, fr

1660s, "agreement of two or more in design or plan; accord, harmony," from French concert (16c.), from Italian concerto "concert, harmony," from concertare "bring into agreement," apparently from Latin concertare "to contend with zealously, contest, dispute, debate" from assimila

late 14c., supplicacioun, "earnest request, entreaty, plea," from Old French suplicacion "humble request" and directly from Latin supplicationem (nominative supplicatio) "a public prayer, thanksgiving day," noun of action from past-participle stem of supplicare "to beg humbly" (i

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