Where does “mould” come from?
Mould comes from Middle English mowlde, from Middle English mowled, from Middle English moulen, from Old Norse mygla, from Proto-Indo-European (s)melw-, from Proto-Germanic mukiz, from Proto-Indo-European mewk-.
mould (English): Alternative spelling of mold
Definitions
- Alternative spelling of mold
Ancestry of “mould”, step by step
mould traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English mowlde
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | mowlde | mold tiny fungi |
| 2 | Middle English | mowled | — |
| 3 | Middle English | moulen | — |
| 4 | Old Norse | mygla | to grow mouldy or musty; mouldiness, mustiness |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | muglōną | — |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | mukiz | soft substance |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | mewk- | slick, slimy, slippery, to slide; to make a quick... |
via Old English molde
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | molde | earth, soil; the earth, world |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | muldō | mould; soil, dirt |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | melh₂- | to grind, to crush |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | mel- | soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | mey- | to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange |