*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of mast

From Middle English mast, from Old English mæst (“mast”), from Proto-West Germanic *mast, from Proto-Germanic *mastaz (“mast, sail-pole”), from Proto-Indo-European *mazdos (“pole, mast”). Cognate with Dutch mast, German

4 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 4 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗
verb

To supply and fit a mast to (a ship).

noun

A tall, slim post or tower, usually tapering upward, used to support, for example, sails or observation platforms on a ship, the main rotor of a helicopter, flags, floodlights, meteorological instruments, or communications equipment, such as an aerial, usually supported by guy-wires (except in the case of a helicopter). · A nonjudicial punishment ("NJP"); a disciplinary hearing under which a commanding officer studies and disposes of cases involving those under his command; a meritorious mast.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English mast, from Old English mæst (“mast”), from Proto-West Germanic *mast, from Proto-Germanic *mastaz (“mast, sail-pole”), from Proto-Indo-European *mazdos (“pole, mast”). Cognate with Dutch mast, German Mast, and via Indo-European with Latin mālus, Russian мост (most, “bridge”), Irish adhmad.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "mast"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English mast"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "mæst",
        "4": "",
        "5": "mast"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English mæst (“mast”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*mast"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *mast"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*mastaz",
        "4": "",
        "5": "mast, sail-pole"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *mastaz (“mast, sail-pole”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*mazdos",
        "4": "",
        "5": "pole, mast"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *mazdos (“pole, mast”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "nl",
        "2": "mast"
      },
      "expansion": "Dutch mast"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "Mast"
      },
      "expansion": "German Mast"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "la",
        "2": "mālus"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin mālus"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "ru",
        "2": "мост",
        "3": "",
        "4": "bridge"
      },
      "expansion": "Russian мост (most, “bridge”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "ga",
        "2": "adhmad"
      },
      "expansion": "Irish adhmad"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "mast",
      "mast#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "mæst",
      "mæst#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "*mast",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/mast"
    ],
    [
      "*mastaz",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/mastaz"
    ],
    [
      "*mazdos",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/mazdos"
    ],
    [
      "mast",
      "mast#Dutch"
    ],
    [
      "Mast",
      "Mast#German"
    ],
    [
      "mālus",
      "malus#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "мост",
      "мост#Russian"
    ],
    [
      "adhmad",
      "adhmad#Irish"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
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        "To supply and fit a mast to (a ship)."
      ],
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        "A nonjudicial punishment (\"NJP\"); a disciplinary hearing under which a commanding officer studies and disposes of cases involving those under his command; a meritorious mast."
      ],
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}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
noun

The fruit of forest-trees (beech, oak, chestnut, pecan, etc.), especially if having fallen from the tree, used as fodder for pigs and other animals.

verb

To feed on forest seed or fruit. · To produce a very large quantity of fruit or seed in certain years but not others.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Old English mæst (“fallen nuts, food for swine”) and mæstan (“to fatten”), from West Germanic; probably related to meat.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Derivation mentionmæstang
Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "mæst",
        "4": "",
        "5": "fallen nuts, food for swine"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English mæst (“fallen nuts, food for swine”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gmw",
        "3": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "West Germanic"
    },
    {
      "name": "wp",
      "args": {
        "1": "+ seeding"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "mæst",
      "mæst#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "mæstan",
      "mæstan#Old_English"
    ],
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      "meat",
      "meat#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "The fruit of forest-trees (beech, oak, chestnut, pecan, etc.), especially if having fallen from the tree, used as fodder for pigs and other animals."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ],
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        "To feed on forest seed or fruit.",
        "To produce a very large quantity of fruit or seed in certain years but not others."
      ],
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}

Source etymology 3

Original entry ↗
noun

The anabolic steroid drostanolone propionate, also known as Masteron

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Clipping of Masteron.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "clipping",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "Masteron"
      },
      "expansion": "Clipping of Masteron"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "Masteron",
      "Masteron#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "The anabolic steroid drostanolone propionate, also known as Masteron"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "slang",
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "recordId": "2e738ed4e85cc9eb3f053361da613606766eb7123a45951f2034c6a03b0f7e3e",
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Source etymology 4

Original entry ↗
noun

A type of heavy cue, with the broad end of which one strikes the ball.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From French masse, with -t probably after Etymology 1, above.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Derivation mentionmassefr
Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fr",
        "3": "masse"
      },
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    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "masse",
      "masse#French"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A type of heavy cue, with the broad end of which one strikes the ball."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "obsolete"
      ],
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}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for mast →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-bWFzdA