Etymology Explorer › French

Where does “malveillant” come from?

malveillant (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.

malveillant (French): malicious, malevolent

Definitions

  1. malicious, malevolent

Ancestry of “malveillant”, step by step

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

Words derived from “malveillant”

  • malveillamment
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mey- →