an adjective meaning sham, feigned, spurious, falsely imitative. As a verb it means to deride or imitate contemptuously. The derivation of O. Fr. mocquer, mod. moquer; Ital. moccare, from which the English word is adopted, is disputed. Some authorities refer it to Ger. mucken, mucksen, to growl, grumble, which is probably echoic in origin; others to a supposed Late Lat. moccare, formed from mucus - mucus, in the sense of "to wipe the nose at."