Slush
/slΚΚ/noun
Partially melted snow or ice mixed with water and dirt; also, soft mud or liquid waste.
Did you know?Slush is widely traced to a Scandinavian source, probably Norwegian/Danish forms like slusk or slusk(e), meaning something soft, sloppy, or muddy β a perfect example of a word whose sound still feels like the substance it names.
Etymological Timeline
Early Modern English
English
slush
βWet, muddy snow or refuse-like liquid.β
17th-18th Century
Scandinavian English
slusk / slusk(e)
βSoft, sloppy, muddy matter; also a slovenly or dirty person.β
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*sluk- / *slusk-
βLikely a base conveying wetness, looseness, or sloppiness.β
Modern English
English
slush
βPartially melted snow or ice mixed with water and dirt; soft mud or slop.β