mussed
UK[mʌst]US[mʌst]
adj
(of hair or clothing) untidy; disordered.
Etymology
the word 'mussed' is the past participle and adjectival form of the verb 'muss', meaning to make untidy. the verb 'muss' originated in early 19th century american english, likely as a variant of 'mess'. 'mess' itself has a long history, entering middle english from old french 'mes' (a portion of food), and ultimately from latin 'missus', meaning 'course of a meal' or 'that which is put on the table'. the semantic shift from a served portion of food to a state of disorder or untidiness reflects the chaotic aftermath of a meal. thus, 'mussed' carries the sense of having been disordered, directly linking back to the concept of a messy state.
Analysis
this word is a simplex form derived from a verb. it is not productively composed of multiple independent morphemes in modern english.
Examples
he ran his fingers through his hair, leaving it charmingly mussed.
after the pillow fight, the children's clothes were all mussed.
she preferred a slightly mussed, casual look rather than a perfectly styled appearance.