Etymology Explorer › French

Where does “mélancolie” come from?

mélancolie (French) comes from Old French melancolie, from Late Latin melancholia, from Ancient Greek μελαγχολία, from Ancient Greek μελάγχολος, from Ancient Greek χόλος, from Ancient Greek χολή, from Proto-Hellenic kʰolā́, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰolh₃-éh₂ — to flourish; green, yellow.

mélancolie (French): melancholy

Definitions

  1. melancholy

Ancestry of “mélancolie”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchmelancoliemelancholy; melancholy; black bile
2Late Latinmelancholia—
3Ancient Greekμελαγχολίαmelancholy, atrabiliousness
4Ancient Greekμελάγχολοςdipped in black bile
5Ancient Greekχόλος—
6Ancient Greekχολήgall, bile; gall bladder; bitterness, wrath,...
7Proto-Hellenickʰolā́gall, bile
8Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰolh₃-éh₂—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰelh₃-to flourish; green, yellow

Words derived from “mélancolie”

  • melancolie
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰelh₃- →