What is the origin of the word "mushroom"?

Question

How did they get their curious name?

Answer 1

This word's origins are contentious. What we do know is that it entered English in the mid-15th century as muscheron. Its immediate source was Anglo-French musherun, which comes from Old French moisseron. However, the Old French word's parentage is not known with certainty. Some link it to Late Latin mussirionem, which was the specific name for a particular type of mushroom, and the origin of the Latin word is not known. However, others derive moisseron from French mousse "moss" (yes, it is the source of English mousse "light, creamy dessert" AND "hair foam"). The Germanic languages have related words for "moss", all of which come ultimately from a Germanic root *musan, which was though to refer originally to "swamp" and then, by association, came to apply to moss growing in the swamp. Similarly, mushrooms usually prefer damp habitat. Interestingly, mossa, Latin for "moss", is thought to come from the Germanic source, which means that Late Latin mussirionem is probably related and the two major schools of thought on mushroom's etymology are not all that far apart.

I hope this helps.

Answer 2

French Word For Mushroom

Answer 3

From Wiktionary, a simplified version:

"Altered form of Middle English musheron, musseron, from Old French mousseron, from late Latin musario." :~)

Answer 4

it is like a room full of soft tissue. and look like a hut also. If you call it mushhut-- it doesn't sound right. So rather call it - mushroom.. ehhehe