The concept of having a “crush” on someone dates back to the 14th century, with early spellings like “cruschen” and “cruschyn.” The term likely evolved from the Old French verb “croissir” or the Frankish word “krostjan.” The earliest recorded mention of a romantic crush comes from an 1884 diary of Isabella Rittenhouse, where she mentioned a friend weeping over a lost crush. This sense of the word may have originated from the earlier slang term “mash,” as both “crushing” and “mashing” were similar actions. The exact etymology of “crush” remains uncertain, with theories suggesting connections to Latin words meaning “to gnash” or “brush.”
