Where does “formål” come from?

formål (Danish) comes from Danish mål, from Old Norse mál, from Proto-Germanic mēlą, from Proto-Indo-European melh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European mel-, from Proto-Indo-European mey- — to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange.

formål (Danish): purpose, cause

Definitions

  1. purpose, cause

Ancestry of “formål”, step by step

formål traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Danish mål

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishmållanguage; imperative of måle; goal
2Old Norsemállanguage; speech; matter, affair
3Proto-Germanicmēląmeasure, measurement; time, occasion; point in...
4Proto-Indo-Europeanmelh₂-to grind, to crush
5Proto-Indo-Europeanmel-soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub
6Proto-Indo-Europeanmey-to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange

via Danish før

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishførbefore; before, until; before, prior, sooner
2Old Norsefóðrfodder; sheath
3Middle Low Germanvōderlinen, sheath; sheath, linen
4Proto-Germanicfōdrąfodder; sheath
5Proto-Germanicfōdôfood, nourishment
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpat-to feed; path; to go

Words derived from “formål”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European mey- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European mel- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European melh₂- →