Etymology Explorer › German

Where does “Mahl” come from?

Mahl (German) comes from Middle High German māl, from Old High German māl, from Proto-West Germanic māl, 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.

Mahl (German): singular imperative of mahlen; first-person...

Definitions

  1. singular imperative of mahlen; first-person...

Ancestry of “Mahl”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle High Germanmāl—
2Old High Germanmāla time; spot, stain
3Proto-West Germanicmāltime, occasion; mealtime
4Proto-Germanicmēląmeasure, measurement; time, occasion; point in...
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
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mey- →