mason

英文詞源

mason

mason: [13] English originally acquired mason in the form machun, from Anglo-Norman. In the 14th century it was remodelled as masoun or mason on the basis of Old French masson. The derivation of this is disputed. Some etymologists claim that it comes via a Vulgar Latin *matiō from prehistoric Germanic *mattjon (source of German steinmetz ‘stonemason’), but an alternative theory traces it back to a Frankish *makjo, a derivative of *makōn ‘make’.

mason (n.)

c. 1200, "stoneworker" (as a surname, early 12c.), from Old French masson, ma?on "stone mason" (Old North French machun), probaby from Frankish *makjo or some other Germanic source (compare Old High German steinmezzo "stone mason," Modern German Steinmetz, second element related to mahhon "to make;" see make (v.)). But it also might be from, or influenced by, Medieval Latin machio, matio (7c.) which is said by Isidore to be derived from machina (see machine). The medieval word also might be from the root of Latin maceria "wall." Meaning "a Freemason" is attested from early 15c. in Anglo-French.