Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “molasse” come from?

molasse (English) comes from French molasse, from Latin mollis, from Latin molduis, from Proto-Italic moldus, from Proto-Indo-European *ml̥dus, from Proto-Indo-European (s)meld- — to soften, to melt.

molasse (English): A shallow deposit of sandstone, shale and...

Definitions

  1. A shallow deposit of sandstone, shale and...

Ancestry of “molasse”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchmolasse—
2Latinmollissoft, delicate to the touch; pliant, flexible,...
3Latinmolduis—
4Proto-Italicmoldus—
5Proto-Indo-European*ml̥dus—
6Proto-Indo-European(s)meld-to soften, to melt

Words derived from “molasse”

  • molasses
  • molassic
  • molasseslike
  • molasseses
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)meld- →