Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “malware” come from?

malware (English) comes from English mal, from French mal, from Old French mal, from Latin malleus, from Proto-Indo-European melh₂-no-, from Proto-Indo-European melh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European mel-, from Proto-Indo-European mey- — to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange.

malware (English): Software which has been designed to operate in a...

Definitions

  1. Software which has been designed to operate in a...

Ancestry of “malware”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishmalillness, affliction; A longboard; Malleolus
2Frenchmaltrouble, difficulty; pain; evil
3Old Frenchmalevilly; badly; poorly; evil
4Latinmalleushammer, mallet; a disease of animals; the...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanmelh₂-no-—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanmelh₂-to grind, to crush
7Proto-Indo-Europeanmel-soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub
8Proto-Indo-Europeanmey-to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange

Words derived from “malware”

  • antimalware
  • malware
  • malware
  • malware
  • Malware
  • antimalware
  • malware
  • マルウェア
  • malver
  • малвер
  • malware
  • малуер
  • malware
  • 맬웨어
  • малвер
  • malware
  • मैलवेयर
  • มัลแวร์
  • malware
  • malvér
  • মালওয়্যার
  • मालवेअर
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mey- →