Where does “amalgamate” come from?
Amalgamate comes from Medieval Latin amalgama, derived from Ancient Greek μάλαγμα, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root mel- meaning to soften or grind.
amalgamate (English): To merge, to combine, to blend, to join; To make...
Definitions
- To merge, to combine, to blend, to join; To make...
Ancestry of “amalgamate”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Medieval Latin | amalgamatus | — |
| 2 | Latin | amalgamare | — |
| 3 | Latin | amalgamo | — |
| 4 | Latin | amalgama | amalgam |
| 5 | Medieval Latin | amalgama | mercury alloy; amalgam |
| 6 | Arabic | اَلْمَلْغَم | — |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | μάλαγμα | An emollient, a cataplasm; A padding used in... |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | μαλάσσω | to soften; to make soft; soften |
| 9 | Ancient Greek | μαλακός | soft, tender; gentle; soft, mild, gentle |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | melh₂- | to grind, to crush |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | mel- | soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | mey- | to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange |