mumps etymology

Etymology:

• From Middle English mumpes, from Old English mumps, of unknown ultimate origin.

Meaning:

• An infectious viral disease characterized by swelling of the salivary glands, especially the parotid glands.

Origin:

• The exact origin of the word "mumps" is unknown. However, there are a few possible theories:

• Onomatopoeic: The word may have originated from the sound of someone with mumps, who often has difficulty speaking due to the swollen glands.

• Medieval Medical Term: It is possible that the word "mumps" is derived from a medieval medical term for the disease. In medieval times, the disease was often referred to as "apostle's lumps" or "apostles," and the term "mumps" may have been a corruption of this.
• Dialectal Variation: Some scholars suggest that the word "mumps" may be a dialectal variation of the word "mump," which means "to pout" or "to sulk." This may refer to the facial expression of someone with mumps, who often appears to be pouting due to the swelling.
• Folk Etymology: Another theory is that the word "mumps" is a folk etymology, meaning a word that has been changed due to a misconception about its origin. In this case, the word "mumps" may have been erroneously connected to the word "lump," which refers to a swelling.

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