An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Besanmast

by Friedrich Kluge

Besánmast, m., ‘mizzen-mast,’ Besánsegel, n., ‘mizzen-sail’, from Du. bezaan, ‘mast nearest the stern of a ship,’ which is connected with E. mizzen, Fr. mizaine, Ital. mezzana (the Rom. word, a deriv. of Lat. medius, is properly ‘middle-mast’).