Where does “mølkugle” come from?

mølkugle (Danish) comes from Danish møl, from German Moll, from Medieval Latin molle, from Latin mollis, from Latin molduis, from Proto-Italic moldus, from Proto-Indo-European *ml̥dus, from Proto-Indo-European (s)meld- — to soften, to melt.

mølkugle (Danish): mothball

Definitions

  1. mothball

Ancestry of “mølkugle”, step by step

mølkugle traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Danish møl

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishmølmoth
2GermanMollminor
3Medieval Latinmolle—
4Latinmollissoft, delicate to the touch; pliant, flexible,...
5Latinmolduis—
6Proto-Italicmoldus—
7Proto-Indo-European*ml̥dussoft, weak
8Proto-Indo-European(s)meld-to soften, to melt

via Danish kugle

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishkugleball; pellet; marble
2Germankugelinflection of kugeln: ## first-person singular...
3Proto-Germanickuggilazknobbed instrument
4Proto-Germanickuggǭcog, swelling
5Proto-Indo-Europeangewgʰ-swelling, bow
6Proto-Indo-Europeangēw-to bend, arch
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)meld- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European *ml̥dus →Every word from Proto-Italic moldus →
mølkugle — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer