Mesue
/ˈmɛzjuː/noun
A Latinized name used in English for the medieval physicians Yūḥannā ibn Māsawayh and his namesake successor.
Did you know?Medieval apothecaries commonly cited “Mesue” as an authority, and the name became attached to influential pharmaceutical recipe books in Latin Europe.
Etymological Timeline
8th–9th Century
Syriac/Arabic
Yūḥannā ibn Māsawayh
“The name of the physician later known in Latin Europe as Mesue the Elder.”
9th Century
Arabic
Māsawayh
“The personal name of the physician’s family or lineage; its deeper internal etymology is uncertain.”
11th–12th Century
Latin
Mesue
“A Latinized form used for Yūḥannā ibn Māsawayh in medical and scholarly traditions.”
13th–15th Century
Medieval Latin
Mesue
“A prominent medical authority cited in pharmaceutical and therapeutic compilations.”
16th Century
English
Mesue
“A learned proper name appearing in English discussions of Arabic medicine and pharmacy.”
Modern English
English
Mesue
“A historical name for the medieval physician or for works attributed to him.”