muse

Where does the word "muse" come from? It comes from Greek mousa, passing through Latin and Old French before entering English (1400s).

Muse’s story begins in Greek: mousa meant “a goddess of artistic inspiration.” One of nine goddesses inspiring art, music, and literature. By ancient, the word had taken hold in Latin as Musa. The Latin form of the Greek goddess name. From there it passed into Old French as Muse by medieval. The Old French form that passed into English. It reached English by 1400s as muse. Settled as the word for a source of artistic inspiration. Today, muse means a person or force that inspires an artist, or to ponder thoughtfully.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient mousa "a goddess of artistic inspiration", one of nine goddesses inspiring art, music, and literature.
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient Musa "a goddess of artistic inspiration", the Latin form of the Greek goddess name.
3. Stage 3 · Old French · medieval Muse "a source of artistic inspiration", the Old French form that passed into English.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1400s muse "a source of artistic inspiration", settled as the word for a source of artistic inspiration.