The term nutmeg was first introduced in English during the 1380s, spelled as nutimenge. Variations during that period included nootmoge, notemoge, netmug, notemygge, notmyge, and more. The modern version became standardized around the early 17th century and reached its peak in the 1780s. It originates from a misinterpreted translation of the Old French expression nois muscade, which means “nut smelling like musk”. This phrase can be traced back to the Latin term nux muscata, carrying the same significance. The word nux derives from the Proto-Indo-European root kneu, which also denoted “nut” and serves as the origin of words like nougat and nucleus. On the other hand, muscata is derived from the Sanskrit word for “testicle,” a topic I previously discussed when exploring the etymology of “musk” here. Ultimately, these terms are believed to be connected to the Proto-Indo-European reconstruction muhs, meaning “mouse” (due to a perceived similarity in shape).
