From a possible merger of micho and Central Mazahua mixi, Yucatec Maya miis, Purepecha misitu, all from Classical Nahuatl mizton, from miztli + -tōn, the former from Proto-Uto-Aztecan *musa, but possibly just onomatopoeic; compare similar forms such Italian micio and even in disparate languages as Kumyk мишик (mişik).