Date
Meaning & History
Means "hank, skein, coil" in Italian and Sicilian, derived from Ancient Greek μέταξα (metaxa) via Latin mataxa "raw silk; thick string, thread", an occupational name for a silk merchant (compare Metaxas). Alternatively, it could be derived from the archaic word matàss meaning "polenta", a dish made of boiled cornmeal or other grains.