Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “meddle” come from?

Meddle comes from Middle English medlen, from Anglo-Norman medler, from Old French meller and mesler, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European mey- meaning to mix or change.

meddle (English): To interfere in or with; to concern oneself with...

Definitions

  1. To interfere in or with; to concern oneself with...

Ancestry of “meddle”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishmedlen—
2Anglo-Normanmesler—
3Latinmisculāre—
4Latinmisceō—
5Proto-Italicmikskōto mix
6Proto-Indo-Europeanmiḱ-sḱé-—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanmeyḱ-to mix
8Proto-Indo-Europeanmey-to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange

Words derived from “meddle”

  • meddling
  • meddlesome
  • meddlesomeness
  • meddleth
  • meddlest
  • meddlesomely
  • overmeddling
  • meddlingly
  • overmeddle
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mey- →