mess

Where does the word "mess" come from? It comes from Latin missus, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

Mess’s story begins in Latin: missus meant “course of a meal.” Past participle of 'mittere', to send: food sent to the table. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as mes. A dish served. It reached English by 1300s as mess. Military 'mess' halls keep this sense; 'a mess' as disorder dates from the 1800s. Today, mess means an untidy state; a place where soldiers eat.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient missus "course of a meal", past participle of 'mittere', to send: food sent to the table.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval mes "portion of food", a dish served.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s mess "portion of food", military 'mess' halls keep this sense; 'a mess' as disorder dates from the 1800s.