Where does “milder” come from?
Milder, the comparative form of mild, traces through Middle English milde and Old English milde to Proto-Germanic mildijaz, ultimately deriving from Proto-Indo-European roots meldʰ-, mel-, and mey-.
milder (English): comparative form of mild: more mild
Definitions
- comparative form of mild: more mild
Ancestry of “milder”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | mild | Gentle and not easily angered; Of only moderate... |
| 2 | Middle English | milde | Alternative form of mile |
| 3 | Old English | milde | mild, gentle, kind, merciful, generous; meek |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | mildijaz | mild, soft, tender |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | melh₂- | to grind, to crush |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | mel- | soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | mey- | to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange |