Where does “malsain” come from?

malsain (French) comes from French mal, from Old French mal, from Latin malleus, from Proto-Indo-European melh₂-no-, from Proto-Indo-European melh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European mel-, from Proto-Indo-European mey- — to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange.

malsain (French): unhealthy, sick

Definitions

  1. unhealthy, sick

Ancestry of “malsain”, step by step

malsain traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via French mal

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchmaltrouble, difficulty; pain; evil
2Old Frenchmalevilly; badly; poorly; evil
3Latinmalleushammer, mallet; a disease of animals; the...
4Proto-Indo-Europeanmelh₂-no-
5Proto-Indo-Europeanmelh₂-to grind, to crush
6Proto-Indo-Europeanmel-soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub
7Proto-Indo-Europeanmey-to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange

via French sain

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchsainhealthy; in good health; healthful; beneficial to...
2Old Frenchsainhealthy; in good health
3Latinsaginafeasting, nourishment; corpulence; second-person...
4Proto-Indo-Europeanseh₂-to satiate, satisfy
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mey-Every word from Proto-Indo-European mel-Every word from Proto-Indo-European melh₂-