Math
mid 19th century: abbreviation.
wiktionary
Contraction of mathematics.
From Middle English math, from Old English mǣþ(“a mowing, that which is mown, cutting of grass”), from Proto-Germanic *mēþą(“a mowing”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂meh₁-(“to mow”); equivalent to mow + -th. Cognate with German Mahd(“a mowing, reaping”), West Frisian mêd(“area of land that can be mown in one day; domain, realm”). Related also to Old English mǣd(“mead, meadow, pasture”). See meadow.
Contraction of matha.
etymonline
math (n.1)
American English shortening of mathematics, 1890; the British preference, maths, is attested from 1911. "Math. is used as an abbreviation in written English in the U.K. but not in speech, the normal form being Maths" [OED].
math (n.2)
"a mowing, what is gathered from mowing," Old English mæð "mowing, cutting of grass," from Proto-Germanic *mediz (source also of Old Frisian meth, Old High German mad, German Mahd "mowing, hay crop"), from PIE root *me- (4) "to cut down grass or grain." Obsolete except in figurative aftermath.
