mistelto

Middle English

Alternative forms

• mistilte, mistilto, mysleto, mystyldene

Etymology

Inherited from Old English misteltān (literally “mistletoe twig”), possibly a calque of Old Norse mistilteinn; often reanalysed as mistel (“mistletoe”) +‎ to (“toe”). For the form mystyldene, compare Early Modern English misseldine.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmistəltə(n)/, /ˈmistəlˌtɔː/

Noun

mistelto (uncountable) (uncommon)

1. Mistletoe (Viscum album)

   Synonym: mistel

2. The dried berries of this plant used as beads.

Descendants

• English: mistletoe

References

• “mistel-tō, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.