Etymology

From Old Norse mý, from Proto-Germanic *mugjō, *mujan, from Proto-Indo-European *mu ‎(“fly”), *mew-. Cognates with Norwegian mygg, Icelandic mý, Danish myg, Old English mycg, mycge (whence Middle English mygga, English midge); Old High German mucka (German Mücke ‎(“mosquito”)); Latvian muša; Albanian mizë; Russian муха ‎(múxa); Ancient Greek μυῖα ‎(muîa); Ukranian муха ‎(múxa); Bulgarian муха ‎(múxa); Lower Sorbian mucha, Polish mucha and Slovak mucha. Akin to Latin musca ‎(“fly”). Compare the Dutch mug.