Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “webmail” come from?

webmail (English) comes from English mail, from Middle English mal, from Old English māl, from Old Norse mál, from Proto-Germanic mēlą, from Proto-Indo-European melh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European mel-, from Proto-Indo-European mey- — to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange.

webmail (English): A service for sending, receiving, and/or storing...

Definitions

  1. A service for sending, receiving, and/or storing...

Ancestry of “webmail”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmailA bag or wallet; A bag containing letters to be...
2Middle Englishmal—
3Old Englishmālspeech, contract, agreement; suit, case, action,...
4Old Norsemállanguage; speech; matter, affair
5Proto-Germanicmēląmeasure, measurement; time, occasion; point in...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanmelh₂-to grind, to crush
7Proto-Indo-Europeanmel-soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub
8Proto-Indo-Europeanmey-to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mey- →