titmose

Middle English

Alternative forms
  • titmōse, titemose, titomoze, titmase, tetmose

Etymology

From Old English māse (“titmouse”),[1] with probable influence from a North Germanic/Scandinavian language such as Old Norse titlingr (“sparrow”) or Icelandic tittr (“tit, small bird”).[2] Tit could be from a base alluding to diminutive size; compare titbit.[3]

Noun

titmose (plural titmoses)

  1. titmouse
    Synonym: mose

Descendants
  • English: titmouse

References
  1. “titmouse, n.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, December 2020.
  2. “tit, n4.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, March 2021.
  3. Sargent, L. C., Potter, S. (1974). Pedigree: The origins of words from nature. United States: Taplinger Publishing Company, p. 141
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