muid

Forms

muid m (plural muids)^[1] Old French mui; the spelling with an etymological ⟨d⟩ is found from the end of the 16th century.^[2][3] The Grand Robert and the GLLF date muid to about 1380, in the Aalma.^[4][5] In muid the ⟨d⟩ is silent and not pronounced in liaison.^[6]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French mui, inherited from Latin modius (“a measure of capacity, chiefly for grain”).^[2][3][7] The Latin word also named, in sailors' language, the socket for the foot of a mast, and is the source of moyeu.^[3] Rey connects it with the Indo-European root also behind mode and moule¹.^[3]

Cognate with Walloon moie, Old Occitan muei, Italian moggio and Portuguese modio.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found about 1135 in the Couronnement de Louis, meaning a cask or barrel: Ge te dorrai un grand mui de deniers “I will give you a great barrel of pennies”.^[2]

Semantic evolution

The measure of capacity is recorded about 1160, in the Roman d'Énéas.^[2] The muid measured liquids, grain, salt and other dry goods, and its size varied with the region and the goods.^[2][5] From the measure came muid de terre, the area of land that a muid of seed would sow, recorded about 1283 in Beaumanoir.^[5]

The sense “cask holding a muid”, older than the measure, has outlasted it.^[3] The derivative demi-muid was formed in the 16th century.^[3]

Timeline

• c. 1135 – Mui “cask” in the Couronnement de Louis.^[2]
• c. 1160 – Used for a measure of capacity in the Roman d'Énéas.^[2]
• c. 1283 – Beaumanoir uses it as a measure of land.^[5]
• c. 1380 – The spelling muid in the Aalma.^[4][5]
• 1579 – Larivey uses the spelling muid.^[2]
• 16th century – Demi-muid is formed.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. (historical) An old measure of capacity for liquids, grain and salt, varying by region and by commodity.^[2][8][5]
2. Muid de terre: the area of land that could be sown with a muid of grain.^[2][5]
3. A cask or barrel holding one muid: un muid de bière.^[2][8][5]

Word family

• demi-muid

Related words

• moyeu
• Latin modius

Usage notes

Gros comme un muid and rond comme un muid describe a very stout person.^[2]

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e f g h Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 6/3, 12a
8. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert