Etymology Explorer › Ancient Greek

Where does “μέλᾱς” come from?

μέλᾱς (Ancient Greek) comes from Proto-Indo-European melh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European mel-, from Proto-Indo-European mey- — to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange.

μέλᾱς (Ancient Greek): dark in color; sometimes so dark as to lack...

Definitions

  1. dark in color; sometimes so dark as to lack...

Ancestry of “μέλᾱς”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Indo-Europeanmelh₂-to grind, to crush
2Proto-Indo-Europeanmel-soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub
3Proto-Indo-Europeanmey-to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange

Words derived from “μέλᾱς”

  • melancholy
  • Melanie
  • Melinda
  • melancholic
  • melancholia
  • Melanesia
  • Malinda
  • melancholically
  • Melany
  • melancholily
  • melancholize
  • melastatin
  • melancholiness
  • melancholist
  • unmelancholy
  • melanure
  • unmelancholic
  • mela-
  • melanogaster
  • melancholicus
  • melanoleucus
  • Melania
  • melancholia
  • epimelas
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mey- →