Where does “milky” come from?

Milky comes from Middle English melky, which likely derives from mel- (honey) and the suffix -y, ultimately tracing to Proto-Indo-European *melit- meaning honey.

milky (English): Resembling milk in color, consistency, smell,...

Definitions

  1. Resembling milk in color, consistency, smell,...

Ancestry of “milky”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishmylky
2EnglishmilkA white liquid produced by the mammary glands of...
3Middle Englishmilkmilk
4Old Englishmeolcmilk
5Proto-West Germanicmelukmilk
6Proto-Germanicmeluksmilk
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂melǵ-to milk; milk

Words derived from “milky

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂melǵ-
milky — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer