Where does “molle” come from?

molle (English) comes from French molle, 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.

molle (English): flat; lowered by a semitone

Definitions

  1. flat; lowered by a semitone

Ancestry of “molle”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchmollefeminine singular of mou; pepper tree
2Latinmollissoft, delicate to the touch; pliant, flexible,...
3Latinmolduis—
4Proto-Italicmoldus—
5Proto-Indo-European*ml̥dussoft, weak
6Proto-Indo-European(s)meld-to soften, to melt
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)meld- →