mawk

English

Etymology

From Middle English mawk, mauk, a contraction of mathek, from Old Norse maðkr (maggot), a diminutive of a base from Proto-Germanic *maþô (worm) (Old English maþa), from Indo-European *math-, moth- used in reference to insects and vermin. Cognate with Danish madike, Swedish mask, archaic English maddock (modern maggot).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /mɔːk/
  • Rhymes: -ɔːk

Noun

mawk (plural mawks)

  1. (obsolete except in dialects) a maggot
  2. (Britain, dialectal, obsolete) a slattern
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