An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Maul

by Friedrich Kluge

Maul (1.), n., ‘mouth (of beasts), muzzle’ (in UpG. Maul is also used for Mund, ‘mouth of men’), from MidHG. mûl, mûle, n., mûle, f. (MidG.), ‘mouth,’ OHG. mûla, f., ‘mouth,’ also ‘beak’; Du. muil, OIc. múle, m., ‘mouth, snout’; Goth. *mûlô, n., ‘mouth,’ is wanting, but is authenticated by the derivative faurmâljan, ‘to muzzle.’ This word is an l derivative from the root mû, from which HG. Mund, with a particip. suffix. nþ, is also formed; see Mund.

Maul (2.), n., ‘mule,’ in Maultier, n., Maulesel, m., from MidHG. mûltier, n., mûlesel, m., yet ordinarily simply mûl, m. and n., mûle, m., ‘mule,’ OHG. mûl, m.; borrowed from Lat. mûlus. From the same source Du. muil, m muilezel, AS. mûl, E. mule, as well as OIr. múl, are derived.